


Heart of Ice, Soul of Fire

by salanderjade (whowhatsitwhich)



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-19
Updated: 2015-08-10
Packaged: 2018-01-25 17:04:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 45,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1655945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whowhatsitwhich/pseuds/salanderjade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Primrose Mellark continues to get into trouble despite her brother's pleas. She has one last chance to redeem herself. Can behavior specialist, Katniss Everdeen, help heal this family? Will helping them enable her to help herself?  **This story has been posted before....there have been no changes to the plot or characters**</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

Katniss Everdeen was late for work. Blame her alarm clock. Blame traffic. Blame the fact that it was 78 degrees and without a cloud in the sky. Either way, she was late again. The boss was definitely not going to be happy. Her phone had been beeping constantly for ten minutes. The decision was to waste precious seconds locating the phone, answering, and coming up with a plausible explanation of why she was late again or just ignore it. She chose to ignore it and silently begged the traffic gods to please give her green lights the rest of the way in.

Five minutes later, she strolled through the front door; her backpack slung casually over one shoulder and flicked a little wave toward the supervisor's office when she saw a hand waving in the general direction of the clock. Plopping down at her desk, she kicked the backpack further underneath as she rifled through the stack of phone messages and case updates.

"Everdeen, you sure are a piece of work," Gale Hawthorne yelled across the room, flipping a wadded ball of paper in the vicinity of her head.

Smiling lazily, she propped her booted feet up on the desk and retorted, "That's a little like the pot calling the kettle black, isn't it, Gale?"

He rolled his eyes at her tone and said, "Funny, but will you notice who was here on time and ready to work? And it wasn't you." He elbowed her booted feet. "You can tell me. You had a hot date and still haven't recovered. I want details!" Propping his elbows up on her desk, Gale gave her a big-eyed look of feigned interest and Katniss couldn't stop herself from laughing.

If it had been anyone other than Gale, the reaction would have been quite different. They had been best friends since age five. They had attended the same elementary school and were practically inseparable in high school, being named Homecoming King and Queen. No one really believed either of them when they protested that they were just friends. The talk and speculation only increased when they both applied to and were accepted to the same university. One brief stint at a relationship had convinced them that they were never meant to be romantically involved. They severed that tie while the friendship was still in-tact and vowed to always be there for each other no matter what. The irony that they had vastly different degrees and yet still ended up working for the same company wasn't lost on them either.

Soon after starting at Better Way as a counselor and behavior expert, Katniss had recommended Gale for the position of guide and instructor for one of the pilot programs the agency ran to facilitate troubled youth. He came in and quickly established himself as an innovator and creative thinker. In other words, he was a perfect fit. The two of them made it perfectly clear that they were just friends, opening the door for Gale to start dating Johanna Mason, another counselor and instructor. They seemed happy and Katniss wished that they would hurry up and tie the knot already. She wanted her best friend settled and happy.

Katniss, despite the punctuality problem, was one of the most respected behavior analysts with the group. She was often given the most troubled or disturbed to work with. She seemed to have a way of getting inside a kid's head, figuring out what made them tick, and finding a key to unlock the bars that had been built up. She spent hours designing, refining, and perfecting a treatment plan for every case that came her way. Her success rate was astounding. That's why the few minutes she ran late everyday were generally overlooked.

It was to the amazement of her friends and co-workers that Katniss rarely socialized. She was most often found at home with her scraggly cat named Buttercup. Her Friday night companions were a stack of files, her iPod, and chocolate. She could be coaxed out for some special occasions or, after a heavy round of guilt tripping, a friends' night out. Even then, she was usually the first one to call it quits and head home. It wasn't for a lack of invitations, as she had plenty. She just wasn't interested. She was forever reading what books were popular with the young adult set, listening to the latest music, playing the latest game or downloading the most popular apps. She said that you couldn't get a kid to listen if you didn't speak their language. She focused on that ability with a terrifying single mindedness and let those parts of her life not necessary to her job languish.

"All right, kids. Now that we're all present and accounted for, can we please get the morning meeting up and running?" Haymitch Abernathy groused from the open conference room door. "I would like to get to lunch on time. Besides, you know how she is when the schedule is disrupted." A wave of laughter swept through the room at Haymitch's long suffering tone. His assistant, Effie Trinket, was the soul of the organization. She had every minute accounted for and could become quite shrill if her careful planning was disrupted in any way. Haymitch found it best to keep her happy and she kept everything else running smoothly. The arrangement suited everyone and kept Haymitch from resorting to the flask that he kept stashed in his desk for just such an occasion.

Once they had filed in and taken their seats, he slid packets across the table and flipped on the overhead to reflect the details they now had before them. "We have the new group almost ready to go. I want Gale, Johanna, Annie, and Finnick to double check the details. Make sure all documents are signed, all the court orders are in place, and all the accommodations are in order. The Princess made most of these arrangements, so I don't expect there to be issues there. Just make sure that all the "i's" are dotted and the "t's" are crossed." He toyed around with another file before sliding it over to Katniss. "The roster for this group is almost full. This one was added this morning. The rest of you familiarize yourself with the names and histories of the eleven that are already finalized. Katniss, I'm sending you down to Central to get this one taken care of. Judge Paylor sent this one to me this morning." He rolled his eyes. "This one is hot, so make this your top priority."

Katniss opened the folder and questioned, "What's the hurry. They don't usually come to us quite this quickly."

Haymitch nodded, "This is true. One point for you, Everdeen. But like I said, this one is a special case. Her brother is connected with Governor Snow. He called the governor after she was picked up. Once Judge Paylor got the call requesting an alternative, the girl was red-lined over to us. So go check her out, explain the program, and get her consent to cooperate. You will have to have the brother sign all the forms as well."

Katniss rolled her eyes and flipped open the packet again. "Primrose Mellark. Okay, boss, I'm leaving now. Please give Central a heads up that I'm inbound. We wouldn't want this to take any longer than it has to," she commented with mock sweetness and headed for the door. The rest of the group burst into laughter and Haymitch shot her a disgruntled glare as she swept out the door. Grabbing her bag and keys, Katniss punched the button to summon the elevator and began reading as soon as the doors closed behind her.

She stood outside the interview room and carefully watched the young girl inside. She noted the long, ash-blond hair and china blue eyes. The delicate girl didn't look to be much more than twelve, despite the fact that her age was listed at fifteen in the bio section of the file Katniss had been given earlier. She leafed through the folder and pulled out the arrest report from yesterday morning. The girl and two others had been caught coming out of a gas station with several cartons of beer, cigarettes, and lottery tickets. The cashier had cooperated with the threesome, but hit the silent alarm while they were distracted. The police busted them less than a mile from the store with the goods arrayed on both seats of the car they were driving. The other two, both above the age of eighteen, had been booked into the County lockup to await arraignment. At age fifteen, Primrose had been brought to Central and held in the juvenile block before being fast-tracked into court. Katniss noted with some interest that this was the girl's fourth offense in 8 months; she was well on the road to things getting serious.

Katniss pushed open the door and smiled gently as the big blue eyes darted warily up to check the identity of her visitor. The eyes narrowed in confusion and an uncertain frown marred the porcelain perfect brow. Katniss sat down easily, placed her bag at her feet, and opened the folder to the desired sheet. She then waited quietly for Primrose's curiosity to get the better of her. Finally, the girl softly questioned, "Who are you? I was expecting someone else."

Katniss pulled out a card, slid it across the table, and held out her hand. "It's nice to meet you, Miss Mellark. My name is Katniss Everdeen. I represent a group called Better Way. We've been asked by Judge Paylor to speak with you and offer you some options that you might not be aware of."

Primrose's eyes narrowed again but she did shake Katniss' hand and gingerly took the card. "Options?" she questioned warily. "I thought I was going home. My brother or Ms. Cartwright are supposed to pick me up." She eyed the card and repeated, "I thought I was going home."

Katniss sighed and pulled out a pen along with a notepad. "I don't know what you were told. Judge Paylor sent your file to my boss this morning. What you allegedly did carries some serious consequences. Especially for you, since this isn't the first time you've been picked up. I was asked to come speak with you regarding our program. It gives young people a way to get things back on track without having a permanent record following them for the rest of their lives."

Primrose eyed her with contemptible amusement. "I don't need any diversionary program. My brother will take care of me. He always does." She flung the card back into Katniss' lap. "Thank you for coming, but I don't think that I'll need your options today." She curled her hand underneath her chin and stared at a spot directly over Katniss' head, thoroughly dismissing her presence from the room. Katniss felt her lip twitch. The girl had spunk, no doubt about it. Apparently, a good dose of cold hard facts would be necessary in order to get through to her.

"Your brother has taken care of you, Miss Mellark. That's why I'm here. Governor Snow called Judge Paylor at your brother's behest. They are trying to avoid any further unpleasantness from you. It's your choice, of course, whether or not you choose to listen. But I seriously doubt that the Governor, the Judge, or your brother will be happy to my report if I leave right now. It's up to you whether I stay or not." She closed the folder and gathered her belongings, slowly making her way toward the door. Her hand was on the knob when she heard a shaky sigh followed by, "Wait. Please." Katniss looked over her shoulder and met pleading blue eyes. "I'll listen to what you have to say. Just please, don't leave."

Katniss moved back to her chair and opened the file back to the appropriate page. She slid a pamphlet in front of Primrose, along with the now wrinkled card. "Thank you for reconsidering," she said warmly. "Let's get to it. The material I've just given you outlines what our program is all about. In a nutshell, we offer thirty, sixty, and ninety day rotations. The participants are set up with living quarters. They take part in various activities designed to facilitate both therapeutic and occupational decision making. We offer several courses, which you can choose from according to your interests. The therapy sessions for both group and individual are mandatory. The whole group consists of twelve at a time. We break those twelve down into four sub-groups who actually live together. There is a counselor assigned to each sub-group. Your counselor is responsible for directing you as you navigate through the program. They will write up status reports and have regular meetings with family members, as well as the case worker assigned by the court."

Primrose flipped through the pamphlet and smirked slightly at the logo imprinted on the back. She didn't comment on what amused her, so Katniss didn't ask. She perused the class section and questioned, "I would get to choose which of these classes I take. Can I choose who my counselor is, too?"

Katniss hesitated. "Yes about the classes and other activities. Not so much about the counselor. The director, who happens to be my boss, usually assigns counselors and participants. It avoids favoritism and promotes unity in the group."

Primrose eyed her thoughtfully. "How are you able to offer so many things? There's everything from archery to creative writing. That's quite an array."

Katniss grinned. "We work within the community. A lot of our staff are volunteers who donate their time. Others, like me, feel like the more areas there are to explore, the better the outcome. So if anyone has a particular talent, we try to integrate it into the program."

Primrose flipped through the catalog again. "Which ones are yours?" she asked curiously.

Katniss quirked an eyebrow but answered honestly, "I cover the psychology/behavior class for those interested in what I do for a living. I split the nature/survival classes with a friend of mine. I also do the archery class. That is my favorite."

Primrose's eyebrows rose into her hairline. "You do archery? Seriously?"

Katniss laughed at her disbelieving tone. "Yes, I do archery. I was an only child. My father always wanted a son. But he got stuck with me, so he taught me everything he knew. I am a fair shot with just about any gun you want to put in my hands. I can hunt and know what to make a meal out of in the woods. I have also been shooting a bow since I was seven years old. I also competed at University."

The girl looked thoughtfully at the pamphlet again and hesitantly asked, "If I do this, how long do I have to stay?"

Katniss reviewed the paperwork and answered honestly, "Judge Paylor has recommended the ninety day program for you. We usually comply with the Judge in this matter."

Primrose's eyes clouded and tears flooded their blue depths. "Is my brother allowed to visit me? I've never been away from home that long before."

Katniss smiled sympathetically. "We do allow visits after the first two weeks once you are settled. The next visit is scheduled after the forty-five day mark. You are allowed to write as often as you wish. You can call home once per week for about ten minutes." The girl's expression looked so woebegone that Katniss added, "Your counselor meets with your family and case worker at least once a week. I'm sure that messages can be given." Primose's lip trembled and Katniss reached for her hand, giving a reassuring squeeze. "You'll be okay. You can do this."

The return grasp almost cut off the circulation to her fingers as the girl held onto her hand like a lifeline. "Will you be my counselor if I do go? I think I can do this if you're there. You don't lie. You don't treat me like I'm too young or stupid to understand." She gripped Katniss' hand tighter. "I'll come if I can be in your group. Please say yes."

Katniss met her eyes and silently cursed. She couldn't make promises, but Primrose's eyes touched off a protective instinct that Katniss didn't even realize she had. She blew out a breath and stated, "If you want to do this, I'll make the arrangements for you to be with me. I promise. I'll help you in any way that I can, okay?" The answering smile she received was nova bright in its intensity. She handed Primrose the documents to sign and recorded her own signature in the correct area.

"Thank you, Ms. Everdeen," Primrose said quietly. "I appreciate you coming to see me."

Katniss grinned at her. "You're welcome. But please, call me Katniss. If you keep saying Ms. Everdeen, I'm going to start looking for my mother." She grasped the small hand and stated, "I'll see you soon."

She was almost to the door when she heard, "Katniss, are you going to see my brother?" Katniss nodded and she continued, "Tell him I'm sorry for this. I really didn't mean for this to happen." Katniss inclined her head and opened the door. "Also, you can call me Prim if you like," the girl whispered. "That's what everyone else does."

Katniss gave her one more smile and stated, "Thank you, Prim. I'll be back tomorrow, okay? Do you want me to bring you anything?" Prim shook her head and Katniss let the door swing closed behind her. Now she had to convince Haymitch to help her keep her promise. He was going to have her head, no doubt about it.


	2. Chapter 2

Peeta Mellark was having a very bad day. It started out bad and had gotten progressively worse as the hours wore on. The alarm clock had mysteriously died, making him late. His partner, Daniel Cato, failed to get him the information needed for a major revision to the report he was scheduled to hand in that morning. As a result, he had to explain to Albert Coin, the President of the group, why the client copies were not going to be available as promised. Coin had understandably been less than pleased. Peeta had until the end of the day to get something thrown together. If he missed this deadline, then an update to his resume might well be in order.

To add insult to injury, Prim had once again managed to dig herself into a hole and expected him to pull her out. He had Delly Cartwright, the firm's attorney, to look into the matter. He called juvenile hall and spoke to Prim, listening as she tearfully promised that this would be the last time. He assured her that the cavalry was on its way, then dived back into his tattered report. Cato finally graced Peeta with his presence, along with the data he so desperately needed. After a hasty round of number crunching and fact checking, a mock-up of the requested design was drafted, a production budget was assembled, and Peeta was able to breathe for the first time all day. He just wanted to get his things, slip quietly out the door, and collapse for the rest of the evening. This, of course, was dependent upon what time Prim would be released. He hoped that he could get home and settled in before midnight, as he would need to be sharp for tomorrow when the client came in for final approval.

He had done the unthinkable and called Governor Snow when it seemed like the prosecutor was dead set on punishing all involved with the hold-up. Peeta had been roommates with Snow's son in college. The Governor always had a soft spot for both Peeta and Prim, and told Peeta to call anytime if there was ever anything they needed. Peeta had squashed his reservations, curtailed his pride, and made the phone call this morning. He seriously considered strangling Prim once he got her home, but the last thing he needed was for them to have adjoining cells.

Peeta had just thrown his papers, laptop, and other personal items into his bag when the line beeped for his attention. His assistant Sadie, affectionately called Sae around the office, very seldom beeped him unless it was important. He sighed impatiently and keyed the line. "What is it, Sae? You know I was headed home."

"Sorry, Peeta," she said. "But you have a visitor by the name of Ms. Katniss Everdeen. She said it was urgent."

Peeta's brow furrowed. Katniss Everdeen? Who in the world was Katniss Everdeen? He keyed the line again, "Did she say what this is about? I don't see an appointment here. I was about to leave…"

Sae's impatience could have fried the line. "I know she doesn't have an appointment, but she said it's important that she see you today. It's about Prim."

Peeta leaped out of his chair and rushed to the door. Before he could get it open, Sae had entered, followed by his unexpected guest.

"Here he is now, Ms. Everdeen. Can I get you anything at all – tea? Coffee?" Peeta heard a voice respond negatively to the question and met his assistant's amused gaze with a frown of his own. He shut the door and turned to greet his guest. He stopped cold, mouth open as she came into view.

She was small, petite, with dark hair casually styled in an intricate braid and no make-up. Her attire consisted of jeans, boots, a collarless shirt, and a leather jacket slung over one shoulder. Her eyes gleamed like polished silver fringed with equally dark lashes. Her backpack looked a little worse for wear. In short, she was nothing like he expected. She said she was here about Prim? Peeta realized that he missed her entire greeting and flushed red as a result. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to tune out there. You told Sae you were here about my sister?" He took her proffered hand and nodded toward the seats in front of his desk. She gracefully dropped into one and watched with some amusement as he reclaimed his.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Mellark. My name is Katniss Everdeen," she introduced herself again, since he hadn't heard her the first time. "I've just come from seeing your sister. I represent the Better Way Group. Judge Paylor referred your sister to us for possible diversion in regards to her current situation." She extracted some pamphlets and a file from her bag, passing him the copies as she flipped to the correct page. "This information is the same as what was given to Prim earlier today. She has been given the option to enroll in our ninety day program instead of having to face trial and sentencing for yesterday's incident. Are you familiar with our group?"

Peeta took the pamphlet, noting with some amusement that his company's logo was listed on the back. He eyed the graphics and couldn't help smiling a little. "You might say that I'm somewhat familiar with your group, Ms. Everdeen. My company designed the layout for your pamphlet. I personally designed the graphics for it, as well as this card." He laughed quietly as her face flushed. "I'm not familiar with the full details of your program, however, and how this affects my sister. Perhaps you would be so kind as to enlighten me?"

She quickly recovered from her embarrassment and outlined the basics of the program, giving him a copy of the paperwork drafted by the court. He was slightly surprised to see Prim's name already signed at the bottom. He quickly read over the contents and then met her gaze. "It looks like someone has convinced Prim this is the way to go. I'm rather amazed; I didn't think that Prim could be convinced to do anything." Katniss' mouth quirked in amusement at his statement, but he continued, "So if she completes this program, her record will be completely clean?"

"Her record will be expunged of these charges," Katniss clarified. "That's how diversion works. She will have to complete some community service work in addition to the program, and will be on probation until that is done. Once all the requirements have been met, her record will be completely cleared." She cleared her throat hesitantly. "She asked me to tell you how sorry she is that this happened. She said she didn't mean for it to turn out like this, and seemed very sincere."

Peeta barked out a laugh. "Yes, she's always sincere after she gets caught. She never listens until something goes wrong. Then she expects me to wave my magic wand and make it all go away." He shook his head, his hands tiredly rubbing his forehead and eyes. "I kept telling her there would come a time when I wouldn't be able to protect her. I guess that time finally arrived, didn't it?" He was startled to feel small fingers grasping his own. Looking up, his blue eyes met shining gray, sympathy clear on her features and in her eyes.

"Prim knows that you love her. She practically threw me out of the interview room when I first showed up. She was waiting for a 'knight in shining armor' to rescue her, which I'm guessing means you, huh?" Her teasing was rewarded when a small smile quirked his lips. "I think she's a good kid, she just seems a little confused. If we can give her some direction, I think she'll surprise everyone with how quickly she turns it around."

He blew out a slow breath, feeling calm seep into him for the first time all day. He eyed her appreciatively. "I don't suppose you're going to be her counselor by any chance, are you? You come in here, carrying messages and giving me pep talks. If I didn't know better, I'd swear that you're more familiar with my baby sister than I am. You certainly have a talent for getting people to open up, that's for sure."

Katniss eyed him briefly, wondering if he was insulting or complimenting her. Deciding on the latter, she retorted, "She did ask if she could be in my group. It's not the way we usually do things, but I do believe an exception can be made in this case. My boss, Haymitch Abernathy, is known for tailoring the solution to fit the problem. This is an easy one."

She sounded more like she was trying to convince herself rather than him, but Peeta chose to let it go for now. He flipped through the pamphlet again, reading the details of each class and session. "Better Way is part of a nationwide group, aren't they? I seem to remember it was covered in the material we received when designing the pamphlets."

She nodded in response, "Yes. Better Way is part of the Panem Behavior Studies Group. It is a nationwide continuum of doctors, volunteer groups, clinics and teachers who work within the system to provide an outlet for rehabilitation and reintegration to at risk youth. There is an overall supervisory committee that runs things on a national level. The rest of us are divided up into thirteen districts. Each distract has a manager who is responsible for coordinating and facilitating resources at the community level. It streamlines the process considerably. Mr. Abernathy is the manager for District 12, and is quite talented. He has set up many programs which are being tested in other districts across the country. The program your sister is slated for is one of those programs. We're very excited by the results we've achieved so far."

Peeta grinned at her enthusiasm. "You know, if you ever decide to change careers, we'd love to have you in our sales department. I think you could talk a penguin into buying an ice cube." She flushed red once more at his unintended compliment. "Please be honest, Ms. Everdeen… is this the best option for Prim? Is this the best that can be done?" Blue eyes just like his sister's demanded an honest response. She nodded mutely and he thoughtfully bit his lip before signing his name to the paperwork. "I trust that you will send me a meeting schedule as soon as possible. I also need to know what items she is allowed to have from home so I can get them together."

Katniss gaped at his sudden shift in direction. She eyed him briefly, then pulled out a sheet detailing the patient's needs for the duration of the program. "This will outline everything she needs. It also includes a list of items that she is not allowed to bring with her. I must ask that you abide by the list implicitly. There are reasons why specific items are allowed or prohibited. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask me. My main line and cell are listed on the card." She gathered up her materials and shoved them into her backpack. She rose to her feet, her hand extended. He took it in his, meeting her eyes squarely.

"Ms. Everdeen, thank you so much. I can't even begin to tell you how grateful I am." She shook her head and tried to cut him off, but he continued. "Prim must have taken a liking to you; otherwise, we wouldn't be standing here having this conversation. You will be able to get her in your group, right?"

Katniss met his gaze, the warmth of his hand an unwelcome distraction. She eased her fingers away from his grasp. "I promised her that I would. I keep my promises, Mr. Mellark." She swung her bag over her shoulder. "Thank you for seeing me on such short notice."

"Peeta," he blurted out. She looked confused for a moment, so he repeated. "My name is Peeta. I wish you'd use it. Mr. Mellark makes me start looking for my Dad." She grinned at this unconscious echo of her earlier remark to his sister. "We will be seeing each other regularly for the next few months, so it would be easier if you call me Peeta."

She nodded again, gray eyes meeting his. "Well, Peeta, I guess that means you can call me Katniss." She smiled once more and silently slipped out the door.

"Katniss," he murmured. "Yes, I believe I will call you Katniss…" He grabbed his own bag and stopped briefly to pick up the card she had placed on his desk at the beginning of their meeting. "Maybe I'll just call you," he said to himself and grinned as he headed out the door. He had a long night ahead of him, but somehow the day didn't seem so bad anymore.


	3. Of Pastries and Pastimes

 

Eyes gritty and blurry, Katniss Everdeen staggered into her office on time for once. It was a major accomplishment for her, and she should be proud of it. Three cups of coffee and a cold washcloth, however, had failed to revive her enough to appreciate the irony. She dumped the box of files, threw her backpack under the desk and wished that she had just stayed in bed. Five more minutes would have been perfect. She closed her eyes, her head pillowed on her folded arms, and blissfully avoided the long list of items clamoring for her attention.

She had come back after her meetings with both Mellarks, outlined the situation to Haymitch, and the requested that Primrose be assigned to her group for the duration of her participation in the program. Haymitch had a few choice words about method and procedure, but eventually agreed with Katniss that a rapport had been formed with the girl. It made sense, even if it did go against the usual way.

She moved a pile of notes from underneath her elbow and shifted into a more comfortable position. Her brief nap was interrupted by an exasperated voice. “Hey, Catnip! Being on time for once doesn’t include a nap break, especially when you have company. Come on, girl, hit the deck. You’ve got a big day ahead.” She lifted her head to shoot Gale a half-hearted glare, her eyes still too unfocused to have much strength behind it. Johanna stood behind him, clearly fighting a grin. The endless back and forth between these two never ceased to amaze her. If Johanna was prone to jealousy, her eyes would be permanently green.

Katniss readied her best sarcastic comeback when her brain finally processed the last part of Gale’s statement. Company? She heard a quiet chuckle and looked up to meet a shining pair of bright blue eyes. Shaking her head to clear the remaining cobwebs, Katniss couldn’t stop the red from climbing her cheeks. Great. Just wonderful. She was never going to live this down. Gale would never let her hear the end of it. Peeta stood with his jacket thrown over one shoulder and a heavy suitcase resting by his immaculate shoes. He was also inexplicably carrying a brown paper bag. “Hey. What are you doing here?” she asked quickly, hastily pushing her hair back away from her face and climbing to her feet.

“I brought Prim’s stuff. I didn’t think she would be able to keep this much with her. She said that you were picking her up this morning, so I figured the easiest thing to do was drop it by here.” His gaze quickly swept over her. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” The grin sent her way was too innocent by half. “You certainly looked busy when I came in. I wouldn’t want to inconvenience you.”

Gale seemed to be choking at this point. Johanna had taken it upon herself to smack the back of his head, so Katniss summarily dismissed him from her mind. Peeta, however, was soon on the receiving end of her most potent glare.

“I was just reviewing my notes from my meeting with Mr. Abernathy,” she retorted, eyes daring him to contradict her. “I can take her stuff with me as I go. I’ll be picking up your sister, as well as one other girl.” She gestured for him to drop the bags and sit down. “Prim will be with me, along with three others. One of them is the other girl I’m picking up today. Maybe they’ll hit it off. It’s always easier with a friend.”

Gale had finally stopped choking and was frantically trying to catch her attention, waving when he thought Peeta couldn’t see him. Johanna was openly grinning and following the conversation in earnest. It was rare for them to see Katniss so loquacious. Katniss rolled her eyes at the pair and gestured sharply, “Mr. Mellark, let me introduce you to some other members of our team. They will be working with me during Prim’s stay, so she will probably have to tolerate both of them. They are competent, though, so don’t judge them by their actions this morning. The tall, dark and grinning like an idiot one is Gale Hawthorne. He runs the survival/nature classes and also backs me up in the archery classes when he gets a minute. The short haired brunette beside him is Johanna Mason. She is a counselor and an all-around pain in the rear.”

Peeta graciously shook both proffered hands and said, “Please, call me Peeta. I hate being called Mr. Mellark.” His gaze swung to Katniss, who heard the subtle edge of reproach and reddened again. “I’m pleased that Prim is being given this chance. She seemed very excited when I left her last night. It’s been a while since I’ve seen that reaction.”

Gale chuckled and agreed, “Katniss mentioned that she would be joining us. I’m sure you’ve realized that Katniss is our biggest salesman. She doesn’t realize the effect that she has on people.” Johanna hit Gale in the ribs and he yelped, holding his side. “Damn it, Jo, that hurt!”

Johanna rubbed her knuckles and retorted, “You deserved it, you inconsiderate ass. You’ll have him thinking that she is one of those snake oil slime balls that hang out on street corners, selling junk watches and condos.”

Katniss rolled her eyes at their exchange and shared an amused glance with Peeta. A mischievous expressed played quickly across those blue eyes of his and he asked, “What does she do for fun when she’s not out seducing the masses to let her brainwash them?” Katniss felt her jaw drop and she hastily shot Gale a quelling look, daring him to answer that question.

Gale, however, was totally unimpressed. “She is the most unsociable, taciturn person that I know. She refuses to go anywhere, even with her closest friend. I’ve known her since we were five. If it weren’t for work, she would gladly spend the rest of her life in her apartment or up a tree in the woods.” A teasing grin thrown in Katniss’ direction took the sting out of that admission. “Her fashion sense is horrible. She’s worn the same jacket since high school. Johanna here did manage to get her in a skirt once, though that rumor hasn’t been confirmed.” Gale appeared to think carefully, then snapped his fingers. “She is inclined towards music, so a concert might be the one failsafe way to guarantee her presence. This is strictly theory, of course, and has never been tested. What did you say that you do for a living, Peeta?”

The two men shared a glance of perfect understanding. Looking absurdly satisfied, Peeta replied, “Graphic design is my nine to five. My company does website, pamphlets, posters, advertising, and basically anything else our clients can come up with. It leaves me a little free time. I bake, paint, and attend the occasional concert.” Gale grinned, now certain that he had a willing accomplice in drawing out his difficult friend. Judging by the expression on her face, Katniss knew exactly what the two were obliquely discussing and didn’t like it one bit.

Before she could blast the two of them, something in the exchange caught her attention. “Wait a minute. You bake?” she asked incredulously. “Like food. That kind of baking.”

Peeta chuckled, “Yes, like food. It has been known to be edible.” He held up the brown paper bag. “As a matter of fact, I brought you breakfast; strictly as a thank you, of course. I hope you like chocolate.” He handed her the bag, grinning at her expression.

She gingerly took the bag and muttered, “Thank you. Her eyes met Johanna’s and nearly laughed as she gave her a discreet thumbs-up. Katniss’ lip twitched, fighting the urge to smile. She ruthlessly quashed it and set the bag on her desktop. “That was very kind; you shouldn’t have gone to so much trouble.”

Peeta shook his head. “It was no trouble. I had to eat anyway. I just thought you might enjoy them.” He turned his attention back to Johanna and Gale. “It was very nice to meet you. There’s more than one in there, so make her share. I’ll be looking out for the meeting schedule, Katniss.” She nodded weakly and he flashed another smile before making his way to the exit.

She smacked Gale on the arm and then buried her face in her hands, completely mortified. “What were you thinking, Gale? He’s a patient’s brother, for crying out loud! It would be completely unethical, not to mention that I never said I was interested!” She dropped her hands and glared at him. “She likes concerts. She would definitely show up for that,” she bit out. “Why not just buy the damned tickets and drive us there personally? That way you wouldn’t miss any of the juicy details!”

Gale absently grabbed the bag from her desktop and pawed inside. He snagged one of the pastries and retorted, “You need to get out more. It’s not unethical for you to see him after Prim finishes her program. You are allowed to be friends. You can be friendly once the three months are up.” He grinned at her and took a big bite out of the pastry, his eyes widening. “Besides, you have to go out with him. How else are we going to get him to keep bringing this stuff by?” That prompted Johanna to commandeer the bag and take a pastry for herself. She took a bite, closed her eyes, and sighed blissfully. “See,” Gale crowed, “Even Johanna agrees with me!”

Katniss snagged her bag back and liberated the last of the pastries. She absently took a bite as she searched for the stack of files she came in with this morning. The tang of the rich cream coated with smooth, dark chocolate brought her attention back to her hand. “Good Lord, Gale. You might be on to something there.” She took another careful bite, savoring the rich flavor. “This is sinful.”

Johanna polished off the rest of her pastry. “If I wasn’t already attached to brainless here, I’d be giving you some competition. The combination of those eyes and these things make it kind of hard for a girl to pass that up.” She winked at Gale and ruffled his hair. “Also, I like the tall, dark and handsome types, so he wouldn’t really do for me at all. You, on the other hand, are free as a bird to snap that one right up.”

Katniss shook her head. “He’s the brother of one of my patients. That means he’s off limits.” She let out a disappointed sigh and demolished the last few bites of the pastry. Looking regretfully at the empty bag, she muttered, “It would almost be worth considering if he had some more of these things lying around.”

Johanna and Gale exchanged a glance. In that moment, a conspiracy was born. Try as she might to hide the fact, Katniss was definitely interested. They just needed to convince her to lower the walls enough to let nature take its course. And get Peeta Mellark to drop off some more baked goods. If they could do that, it was surely only a matter of time.

 


	4. Here's Where the Fun Begins

 

Katniss tossed the bag into the rear compartment of her Jeep and slammed the door, giving it an extra bump with her hip to make sure it was securely closed. She slid behind the wheel, giving the blond in the passenger seat a reassuring grin. “Looks like we’re going to get everything moved in one trip. Ready to go?” Prim nodded and tentatively returned her smile. “Honestly, I would hate to see how that brother of yours packs for a vacation. Are you sure he left you any clothes at home?”

Prim giggled, “That’s just Peeta. He takes lists very seriously. I think he packed every allowable thing on the paper you gave him. If I didn’t already own it, he probably went out and bought it. That’s just how he is.” She rolled her eyes. “He’s very sweet, but sometimes I wish he would just ease off. He’s worse than a mother hen. He has been ever since we lost Mom and Dad.”

Katniss saw the slight grimace of pain cross Prim’s features. She took one hand off the wheel to gently pat Prim’s shoulder. “Do you want to talk about it? I’m always up for a story, you know.”

Prim’s blue eyes flashed gratitude and she twisted her fingers, wringing her hands. “I came along right after Peeta turned eleven. I don’t think he ever forgave me for not being a boy. He was the perfect big brother, though. He always took time to play with me, didn’t tease me, and would slip me an extra dessert. When I was seven, Mom and Dad left me at home with Peeta and went out to pick up dinner. A girl who was paying more attention to her radio than her driving blew through a red light and hit their car. Dad was killed instantly. Mom lasted another week, but she never woke up.” A few tears ran down the girl’s pale, porcelain cheeks. Katniss felt a burning in her eyes and squeezed Prim’s shoulder. The girl’s hand caught hers and held it tightly. Katniss almost suggested that the story could wait until later, but she sensed that Prim hadn’t opened up for quite some time. The girl was begging for a release, even if it came in the form of a stranger. Prim swallowed noisily and then continued, “Peeta was going to start college that fall. He had a full scholarship thanks to his grades and baseball. He was ready to give that up to take care of me. Luckily, Sae was there to help us.”

Katniss questioned, “The same Sae who guards his door at his office. That Sae?”

Prim grinned, “Yep, that Sae. Her real name is Sadie, but we all call her Sae. She was the owner of the restaurant that Peeta worked at part time in high school. She taught him to cook. After the funeral, she came to see us. She flatly refused to let Peeta give up his scholarship. She lived in a small apartment above her restaurant, but put it up for rent and moved in with us. She took care of the house and me while Peeta went to school. When he finished up and got the job at Coin & Crane Designs, he hired a permanent manager for the restaurant and Sae went to work for him. She doesn’t live with us anymore, but she still acts like a maid and aunt. They keep a pretty close eye on me.” This was said dourly, with a grimace narrowing the china blue gaze.

Now we get to the heart of it, Katniss thought. The girl had every opportunity, a good support system and a stable home. Despite that, she had been arrested four times in the last eight months. There had to be an explanation. She commented softly, careful not to sound judgmental, “Sounds like they did everything they could to give you a good home. What am I missing, Prim? You honestly don’t fit the bill as a career troublemaker.”

Prim’s grimace turned to red-faced embarrassment. Her eyes focused firmly on the toes of her expensive shoes. Finally, she mumbled, “Peeta still treats me like I’m seven. I asked if I could get a part time job and he said no. I asked if I could go on Spring Break with some friends from school. It was only for a weekend with plenty of supervision, but Peeta said no. He absolutely refused to discuss it. That accounted for the first arrest; I got picked up for hitchhiking when I decided to go anyway. The second time was stupid. I got caught shoplifting. Peeta yelled at me for two days. I had to do community service down at the Mission. I served during the lunch shift for 2 months. The third time was for skipping class. The truant officer caught me, Rory, and Vick in the park. I barely avoided getting expelled. That time, I had to do towel duty for the basketball team and keep the water bottles filled at games. Either Peeta or Sae was there after every practice and game, so I had to go straight home. You already know about this last one.”

Katniss did indeed know about this last one. Taking part in a robbery was infinitely more serious than those other offenses, but that still didn’t explain why this girl habitually chose to make such poor decisions. “Do you get to spend a lot of time with your brother other than when he’s acting as a warden? What do you do for fun?”

Prim shook her head, tears glazing her eyes again. “He works a lot. He doesn’t usually get home until late. I go over to my friend’s house sometimes to study and eat dinner when I know he’s going to be really late. Sae comes over when she can and we’ll eat and watch television. On the weekends, it’s better. We catch a game, eat hotdogs, and sometimes go to the matinee if a good one is playing. Peeta will sometimes take a shift down at Sae’s restaurant. He says it helps him to stay in practice. I go along to watch the show.” The sudden grin flashed like sunlight through a cloud. “You should come with me sometime. I bet you would think it’s as funny as I do.”

“The show?” Katniss asked, enthralled by the wicked glee emanating from Prim’s face. “You’re not about to tell me some inappropriate story about your brother, are you? Somehow, I don’t think he would find it quite so amusing.”

Prim suppressed another giggle and retorted, “I know he wouldn’t appreciate it, but it would be worth it to see his face. Every time Peeta takes a shift, one of the waitresses will switch so that she can work it, too. Madge Undersee is her name. I call her Malibu Barbie. She’s such a fake that she should be plastic.” Katniss felt an unwilling grin split her face. The mental picture was hilarious. She quickly suppressed it and shot Prim a stern glance. “You should see how red he gets when she pins him into a corner. I don’t know whether that or the constant fake compliments are worse. ‘Peeta, you’re so smart. Peeta, you’re such a good cook. Peeta, you must work out.’ It’s so sweet that it makes me gag.” Prim rolled her eyes. “She tried to be friendly with me. but I just couldn’t take it like Peeta does. What a joke!”

Katniss had to bite her lip to keep from laughing at the picture the girl painted. “Prim, is she really that bad or do you just not want your brother to date? He does deserve a life outside of his job and you, don’t you think?”

Prim shook her head. “No, Katniss, it’s not like that at all. I want Peeta to find a girl and have a good life. He deserves it. I just think he deserves better than Malibu Barbie. She couldn’t make him happy.” A sly gleam flickered in the blue gaze. “He asked about you, you know. The night after you came to see me, he stopped by to make sure that I was okay. He wanted to be sure that I was actually willing to do the program. He said you had stopped by and seemed very interested in what I knew about you.” Katniss felt the blush rush up to her hairline. “I told him about you doing archery. He thought I was making it up until I told him you had competed at college. Knowing Peeta, he went home and looked you up online. Even though he tried to hide it and play cool, I know my brother and I think he likes you.” Prim looked over at her, pleading blue eyes meeting wide gray. “He told me that he brought you pastries. He’s never done that for anyone before. Dad taught him how to bake. Our favorite story as kids was listening about how our parents met. Dad proposed to Mom by hiding the ring in a bag of pastries, some kind of chocolate and cream one. He would make them for Mom every year on their anniversary. Peeta said her face would light up like Christmas lights.” She grasped Katniss’ hand tightly. “If he ever does ask you out, I hope you’ll go. I know it’s probably against the rules to date an inmate’s family, warden… but I won’t be here forever. Keep that in mind.”

Katniss was saved from responding by the GPS announcing that they had reached their destination. She exchanged an uncomfortable glance with Prim, then eased the Jeep into the closest parking space. Grabbing her backpack from the rear seat, she motioned for Prim to join her. “What’s this place?” Prim asked as she gazed around. The building had an institutional feel with speckled paint, cramped windows, and close-clipped hedges hugging the grounds.

“We’re here to pick up another girl. She’s going to be part of our group for the next three months.” Katniss glanced at her folder before smiling up at Prim. “She’s fifteen, like you. I figured this would be a good opportunity for you two to get to know each other. You’ll be living together for the foreseeable future. Her name is Ruth Ann Matisse.”

The matron met them at the front desk and had both sign in. Katniss handed over the appropriate paperwork and then they were shown to a small room just off the ward station. Knocking quietly, Katniss and Prim heard a small voice acknowledge and call for them to enter.

The girl was small; almost bird like, with thin arms and legs, smooth brown hair and big doe eyes. She clutched a ragged teddy bear and eyed them warily. Her clothing was ill fitted, tattered and worn. Her bio listed her age as fifteen but much like Prim, she barely looked twelve. Katniss immediately felt her heart go out to the girl. Something about the big dark eyes prompted an almost forgotten memory. 

Thirteen years earlier

The November day was cold and brisk. The gray limbs reached up toward the leaden sky like bent fingers. Their steps made a quiet rustling in the dead leaves. She tried in vain to hush her steps and match them to her father’s. He moved through the woods like a ghost, his velvet tread hardly stirring the leaves. He stopped suddenly and motioned for Katniss to do the same. His gray eyes, so like hers, flicked back to meet hers and then he nodded his head to the left. Katniss followed his gaze and gasped quietly as she saw the tiny doe. The deer was frozen at the edge of a small copse of trees. Had she the guile and cunning of an older animal, she could have melted into the forest like a shadow. Instead, she regarded the two strange beings with large liquid eyes. Katniss, her hand shaking, nocked an arrow and lifted the bow, already drawing back. Her father’s hand on her arm, however, stayed the motion. The doe, startled, quickly darted away and disappeared.

“Why did you stop me?” she questioned.

“Because, Katniss,” he answered, “That one hadn’t learned to live yet. If she had, we never would have come up on her quite so easily. It’s best to let them go in that case. Everything deserves a chance at a life. Never forget that.” 

Katniss came back to the present, the memory of that doe’s eyes overlapping the wide brown gaze currently looking at her. She dimly heard her father’s voice again, Everything deserves a chance at a life. She held out her hand and quietly introduced herself, “Hello, Ruth Ann. My name is Katniss. I’m a friend of Annie’s, the lady that you met yesterday. She sent Prim and I to pick you up. Are you ready to go?”

The girl’s eyes flicked from Katniss to Prim and she nodded slowly. She stood up, pulling the oversized jacket up onto her shoulders. The teddy bear stayed firmly in her grasp. Katniss noted that there were two paper bags sitting next to her feet. “Is this everything?” Another silent nod answered her. Prim’s eyes widened and Katniss shook her head briefly at her. The girl’s belongings would easily fit into Prim’s bag with room to spare. Prim couldn’t help but notice and compare the difference in attire, luggage, and overall appearance. Where Prim’s clothing was tasteful and carried designer labels, Ruth Ann’s was bedraggled, torn in spots, and hung on her small frame like a sheet. Prim’s stylish shoes gleamed in the low light. Ruth Ann’s foam rubber clogs were dingy and worn down in the heels. The two girls couldn’t have been more different if they tried.

Katniss motioned for Prim to help carry the bags and the three made their way out to the Jeep. The girl’s eyes hadn’t lost their glazed and staring expression. She climbed into the back seat without a word and huddled quietly, teddy bear clutched tightly in her small hands. Prim climbed into the front and half-turned, chattering to Ruth Ann about a variety of topics. She asked, in the space of minutes, about favorite bands, favorite color, family, and the teddy bear’s name. Katniss grinned as she navigated the lights back to the main thoroughfare. Haymitch had once again proven why he was the director and Katniss the counselor. Prim would eventually break down those walls that Ruth Ann had surrounded herself with. Ruth Ann, on the other hand, would provide a reference point for Prim, a reminder that others had rough lives, but still managed to keep going.

The girl continued to talk, alternately flipping stations on the radio and soliciting an opinion on every topic that popped into her head. The most she got for this great effort was a couple of head shakes and a small smile. It was, Katniss noted, a very good start. “I hope that you two are enjoying each other’s company because you will be roommates when we get there.” She was pleased to see the excited grin on Prim’s face. Ruth Ann’s expression remained impassive, but Katniss noticed that her teddy bear wasn’t being clutched quite so tightly. “Let me do the honors. Ruth Ann, this is Primrose Mellark. As you’ve seen, she is quite the conversationalist. She likes to be called Prim.”

They were almost to the compound when a tiny voice came from the rear, “Rue.”

Katniss and Prim exchanged a glance, and Prim turned around half-leaning over the seat, “What did you say?”

The girl’s eyes flicked from one to the other and she spoke in a slightly more normal tone. “Rue. That’s what everybody calls me. You can call me Rue.”

Katniss smiled widely. She saw a matching one reflected on Prim’s face. Both replied, “It’s very nice to meet you, Rue.” 

“So everyone is present and accounted for. All the room assignments seem to be working out. Any questions or problems regarding the current assignments?” Haymitch flipped through the stack of papers in front of him. His gaze scanned the six faces around the table. No one raised any issues, so he continued. “Let’s run them down to familiarize ourselves with this crop, shall we?”

Gale started, “My four are settled in and they seem to be getting along. The oldest is Marvel Fenig, age 17. This is the last opportunity before he gets sent to County. If he doesn’t finish, he’s a goner. The next is Enobaria Agnaste, age 16. Minor drug charges. Her bags were checked before we came in. Possible gang affiliation. Third, Richard Bettins, aka Beetee, age 15. Gifted in computers. Caught in a hacking break-in. Last but not least, Wiress Upton, age 16. Chronic rule breaker and another last chance.”

The rest of the meeting ran in a similar fashion. Johanna, Annie, Finnick, and Chaff quickly ran through their rosters and personal observations. Finally, Haymitch looked at Katniss and nodded for her to continue. She flipped open her notebook and began, “Diana Glimmer, age 15. Shoplifting, breaking and entering, and other assorted misdemeanors. No known gang affiliation but some tattoos do suggest that she has been exposed to The Gamesmakers. Clove Jewelton, age 15. Every arrest was in the company of Diana Glimmer. Same tattoos. Same exposure. We will have to watch these two. Ruth Ann Matisse, age 15. No arrests. Found by local PD digging burnt bread out of a dumpster. Investigation followed up and discovered her and three other children living in an abandoned house down by the Seam. When questioned, it was found that her guardian, an aunt, was out dealing. The kids had been left to fend for themselves. Ruth Ann, who prefers Rue by the way, was smart enough to ask for help. The other three kids have been placed with one of the most stable foster homes available. The family is ready to take Rue once she completes the program. She’s not our usual type, but I think we can do a lot of good here. The last is Primrose Mellark, who prefers Prim. Caught in a robbery. Priors include misdemeanors and miscellaneous petty crimes. Has a good support system, just needs direction.” Katniss jerked her head up at several snickers. Her gaze swept the table, auguring into each one of them. Gale grinned openly and made no attempt to hide his amusement. Johanna mirrored him exactly. Finnick quirked an ironic brow and grinned unrepentantly, tossing back his usual snack of sugar cubes. Katniss felt her cheeks flush and looked pleadingly to Haymitch to change the subject. She should have known better.

“Speaking of Lover Boy, I received a phone call from Mr. Mellark today,” Haymitch said drolly. “He had some questions regarding the process of signing up to volunteer. He seems to have skill sets which would mesh nicely with what we’re trying to accomplish here.” He eyed Katniss’ pink cheeks. “I’ve told him that since his sister is participating in this cycle, he isn’t eligible to begin in the class rotation until next time. He seems to be something of a whiz when it comes to financials and software. Right now, he’s doing a couple of hours a week checking over our books and getting on Effie’s nerves. He will be worth his weight in gold if he can get those books into some sort of order. That woman is the soul of organization, but she is completely hopeless when it comes to simple math.” Laughter met that statement. Katniss winced in sympathy for poor Peeta. Being stuck in a room with Effie Trinket for any period of time was the equivalent of capital punishment.

Haymitch continued, “Looks like everything is proceeding according to plan. We will let them have dinner and get a good night’s sleep. The fun begins tomorrow, ladies and gentlemen. I hope that you will be ready and come with your game faces on. Until then, go have fun. Eat, drink, and be merry or whatever.” The group climbed to their feet, grabbing files and stacks of paper. Katniss swept her belongings into her backpack in one practiced motion. She was almost to the door when Haymitch’s voice stopped her cold. “By the way, Sweetheart, tell your boyfriend that he’s welcome to bring those baked goods by any time. I hear they were a hit… even made you crack a smile. If he can do that, he must be a miracle worker. Hell, I might even date him.” Laughter erupted again along with some muffled cheering, which sounded suspiciously like Gale and Finnick.

Katniss felt her face go up in flames yet again. She clutched her bag tightly and practically ran to the elevator. Even though she had only seen him this morning, Peeta Mellark haunted each step she made, his presence like a hand poised on the back of her neck. The thought of blue eyes and a wide grin ignited butterflies in her belly. Him and his pastries. Next time she saw him, she was either going to kiss him or kill him. She wished that she knew which one. Her life had just gotten infinitely more complicated.

End Part 4

 


	5. something wicked this way comes

 

## Chapter 5: Something Wicked This Way Comes

The next morning, the twelve new residents gathered in the largest classroom. They were arrayed in a loose circle and eyeing each other with some trepidation when the door banged open. Not knowing who or what to expect, jaws dropped when the tall redhead sauntered in and leaned gracefully against the door.

“Well, well… what have we here? Look at all the eager faces and bright smiles this lovely morning!” he grinned disarmingly. “I’m not a fan of ‘my name is’ stickers or the part where everyone tells their life story. Takes too long and besides, it’s boring as hell.” He pushed off the door and twirled the only empty chair around, straddled it and rested his chin on his crossed arms. “The rules here are simple. Listen to what everyone has to say. Participate in group activities, and revere me for the wonderful creature that I am.” A dozen disbelieving looks greeted his pronouncement, causing Finnick Odair to chuckle quietly. “Now I don’t mean to come across as a pompous ass, but I’ve found that complete honesty is the best policy in situations like this.”

Bounding to his feet one again, he struck a deliberately heroic pose with feet spread apart, chest puffed out, and hands braced commandingly on his hips. “Don’t let this distract you, I’m really quite harmless.” He reached into his pocket and drew out a handful of sugar cubes, carelessly popping one into his mouth. A moment of stunned silence pervaded the room, but then was broken by Prim and Rue’s giggling. They looked at each other, lost in a moment of shared hilarity, and then back at Finnick. The giggles continued unabated and Finnick himself grinned like a fiend. “There, now. The tension is all broken, nothing to be uncomfortable about anymore. Everyone can talk like friends.” Losing the overbearing air, Finnick let a genuine smile cross his face and surveyed the group expectantly.

“All right, then. I’ll start just to get the ball rolling, so to speak. My name is Finnick Odair. I’ve worked here for four years. I am not married but I am accepting applications for the position. I grew up locally, went to school here, and will probably fossilize here. I know what you’re probably thinking—how can this guy possibly know what we’re going through to end up here? Simple, I used to sit right where you are now.” Here, Finnick completely dropped the playful demeanor and his eyes became solemn and somewhat sad. “I grew up in the system. My mom left me at a clinic when I was three. I was bounced from foster home to foster home for longer than I care to mention. At age thirteen, I was assigned a new case worker. He insisted on weekly meetings and whoever happened to be my guardian at the time was forced by the courts to comply. What they didn’t know or didn’t care about was the fact that my case worker was involving me in a little sideline business he had going for years. I was just the latest in a string of many others he had taken advantage of. The system and lack of supervision gave him all the freedom he needed. No one ever asked me about what went on during our little chats or the strangers who attended them. No one cared until Haymitch Abernathy. He stumbled onto the situation and luckily for me, was determined to help in any way possible. Long story short, Haymitch became my new worker, kept me from completely losing my mind, and hired me once I got my degree.”

He drew a deep breath, visibly pulling himself back together. The silence in the room was deafening. Finnick, however, wasn’t one to stay down for long. He met each gaze, smiled and questioned, “Why so serious, boys and girls? That was supposed to be an uplifting, heartwarming story. They keep telling me I need to look those two words up. I guess they’re right if these long faces are anything to go by.” He reached toward the stack of leather binders. “But enough about me; I want to know something about you. These are for you. Inside, you will find sketch paper, regular note paper, and a few writing implements. I don’t care if you think you don’t know how to write or draw. That is irrelevant to me. I want your attention and your cooperation. I also want you to have an open mind when considering these exercises. There are no grades or wrong answers. This is about you, unedited and uncut. That’s all I want. I want your story in your words and pictures. Give me something real. I’m interested. I want to get to know you. So, enthrall me with your acumen, as Dr. Hannibal Lecter would say. The first assignment is a picture. It doesn’t have to be a Picasso. Draw for me your happiest memory. Something that made you feel giddy and sure that nothing could ever be better than that particular moment. I’ll be wandering around for the next forty-five minutes while you work on that. Ask any questions that pop into your head.” He waved his hands in a flapping fashion, gesturing for them to proceed.

Prim grabbed her binder and took out the pencils and pens provided. She thought furiously for a while, then slowly began to move the pencil across the paper.

It had been 4 years since their parents had passed away. Prim was supposed to have a picnic at the park with her friends after a soccer match. It started raining steadily the night before and once morning came, it showed no signs of letting up. The call came in to cancel the outing and Prim was devastated. Peeta was supposed to be studying for finals. However, after fifteen minutes of her staring moodily out the window, he closed his books and dragged her into the kitchen. Peeta’s answer to any kind of turmoil was to bake. It was what their father taught him to do, and he still fell back on that habit. Prim had never learned, but he didn’t let that small fact stop him. Soon, mixing bowls, flour and parchment paper covered every available inch of counter space in the kitchen. Peeta toasted hazelnuts and almonds while Prim mixed up the cream cheese filling. The chocolate was melting slowly in a double boiler on the stove. The end results were a mix of burnt and soggy. They were lopsided and haphazard and Prim was almost embarrassed when she saw the final product displayed on the counter. Peeta, however, popped one in his mouth, swearing that they were the best things he had ever eaten. They took the rest along with glasses of milk into the living room and watched old movies for the remainder of the day.

Prim didn’t understand why this memory came to mind so clearly at Finnick’s prompting. But he had asked for something truthful and real, so it was the best Prim had to offer. She roughed in the outlines then went back to detail the figures. She shaded and rubbed the lines to create shadows and depth. She used the pen sparingly to create contrast. When she heard Finnick step behind her, she glanced up to meet his sea-green gaze, flushing uncomfortably.

Finnick quickly perused the drawing, nodded his approval and patted her on the shoulder. He moved onto Rue and bent down, whispering a question. Prim shifted over and angled her gaze, trying to get a glimpse of Rue’s picture. Finnick, catching the movement, gestured for her to move closer. She sidled in and Rue tipped the binder, allowing Prim to see what was inside. The drawing was elementary. Stick figures and rectangle trees dominated the scene. One that was obviously meant to be Rue sat underneath a high limb, whistling or singing. An oddly formed but recognizable bird sat close by her and seemed to echo the notes. Finnick grinned at both girls and said, “Looks like someone has something in common with our Ms. Everdeen. Did she ever tell you that the birds stop to listen when she sings? We should get the two of you going at once. They wouldn’t know what to do.” Rue looked at him in disbelief; however, Prim wasn’t so sure that he was exaggerating. Maybe she could talk Katniss into giving a demonstration.

Rue gestured toward Prim’s folder and she handed it over without thought. Rue’s eyes widened and Prim felt self-consciousness heat her cheeks. Drawing was just something she did. She wasn’t especially talented. Rue, however, looked at the simple pencil sketch in awe. Finnick had wandered away by that point so Rue was able to gesture to the drawing questioningly without raising any suspicions. “You want me to draw something for you?” Prim asked. Rue nodded and pointed to Peeta in the picure. Prim let confusion pucker her brow for a second before understanding came. “You want me to draw your family? Sure. You’ll have to tell me about them, describe them to me so that I can get it right.” Rue nodded furiously and the two girls put their heads together, one sketching swiftly and the other nodding and pointing. Finnick observed this from afar, with a satisfied smile stretched across his face. 

Katniss moved quickly over the rack of bows and quivers, visually examining each one for any flaws. She pulled out an arrow from each bundle, examining the nock, feathers, and shaft. With newcomers, she didn’t want to take any chances. Hearing a familiar tread behind her, she said quietly, “Hello, Gale. You’re checking up on me?”

“No, Catnip, just wanted to see if you needed any help. Finnick will be sending eight of them your way any time now.” Gale reached around her to pick up a bow, running a finger over the string and testing the tautness. “You want me to stick around so that we can run them in doubles? Might go a little faster.”

Katniss nodded, “Sounds like a good idea. Eight, huh? Didn’t think that many of them would be interested. I’m usually lucky to get two or three. Have to wonder what makes me so popular?”

“Who could possibly resist that face?” Gale teased, tugging on the end of her braid. “Certainly not our wandering baker turned graphic designer. He is definitely interested.”

Katniss pulled away quickly, giving him one of her best ‘drop it’ looks. She had no intentions of discussing her relationship or lack of one with Gale Hawthorne, even if he was her best friend. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, Gale. He’s just being nice because we’re helping his little sister. It’s just gratitude. Don’t make more of it than it is.”

Gale looked at her, his eyes sad and withdrawn. He watched her as she watched him and then quietly asked, “This is about Ryder, isn’t it? Katniss, it’s been five years. He wouldn’t have wanted this for you. You know that.” He drew back swiftly as her eyes flashed gray fire.

“How can you say that? How can you say that to me?” she screamed, her hand connecting solidly with his cheek. “I know how long it’s been, Gale. I think about it every day. I know he wouldn’t want this. Hell, Gale, I don’t want this. But I can’t go back and change it. I can’t forget him.”

His cheek stinging, Gale shook his head. “You can’t keep using his death as an excuse to keep from living, Katniss. He died. You didn’t.” His hand cupped her chin, forcing her gaze up to his. “He’s a good man. He could make you happy if you let him. You can’t keep hiding behind work and excuses.”

Katniss felt her hands shaking and clenched her fists together, fighting for control. Gale Hawthorne had been her best friend since they were both five years old. Ryder Hawthorne had been the only one who ever put a claim on her heart. She and Gale were enrolled in their first year at the university. Ryder had come up on a weekend hop before being deployed overseas with the rest of his unit. The two of them had been frequent companions over the years, often doubling with Gale and whoever he happened to be in love with that week. Something about this visit felt different. They went on solitary walks, hands grazing occasionally but finally culminating in fingers being intertwined. Kisses were exchanged in the tipsy moonlight. This led to letters coming in from various bases all over the world. The infrequent leaves found them catching stolen moments before he was called away yet again. The last trip home had come with confessions of undying love and a ring to seal the promise. Only Gale had known about the engagement. And only Gale knew just how devastated she was when the word came that Ryder had been killed while guarding a convoy.

The sound of approaching feet forced her from her reverie and she shook herself free of the deluge of memories. The eight new arrivals stood clustered to one side of the range, unsure where to go or what to do. Katniss assumed a blank welcoming face and gestured for them to line up just beyond the edge of the field. She smiled warmly, “Glad that you could join me this morning. I’m pleased that so many of you are interested in my little hobby.” She picked up her favorite bow. “How many of you have ever fired a bow before?” Two hands went up, Marvel and a smallish boy named Ray. She eyed them and clarified, “How many have used a recurve bow instead of a compound bow before?” The two hands went up again and she grinned. “Now you’re speaking my language. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the different types, those with the elliptical wheels close to either end of the string are compound bows. They reduce the force required to hold the string at full draw. The recurve bow requires a little more effort. If you’re interested, let me show you what these can do.”

She grabbed a quiver and stepped up to the target area. She pulled back, feet spaced shoulder width apart. Taking a deep breath, she drew back to maximum draw length, steadied the arrow with a finger, and blew out a half-breath. Pausing slightly and not even seeming to aim, she let the arrow go and then turned back to the group, smiling widely. They watched with gaping mouths as the arrow quivered at the dead center of the target. “Now,” she chirped. “Who wants to go first?”

The next hour was spent correcting hand position, widening stances, and giving advice on the most effective methods of aiming. She was making notes on each one, writing down her observations while they were still fresh. Hearing a noise, she looked up to find Glimmer and Clove still clustered around the bows with Enobaria speaking quietly but firmly. Katniss cleared her throat, “Anything wrong, ladies?” All three shook their heads and began walking quickly away. Katniss then realized what had been nagging her previously, what she had overlooked. Clove and Glimmer had similar tattoos, one being a circle pattern enclosing a bird with outstretched wings clutching an arrow. It appeared to be on fire. What Katniss and the others had overlooked was the fact that Enobaria had the exact same tattoo on her wrist. The Gamesmakers. Three of Katniss, Gale and Finnick’s twelve apparently had ties to one of the most violent street gangs in the city. The Gamesmakers didn’t go for petty crimes such as drugs and gun running. They existed solely to subjugate, terrorize, and dominate. The flaming bird enclosed in a circle was one of the few things known about them, as they were experts at staying low and hidden. The only visible proof that they even existed was the occasional mutilated corpse showing up… usually festooned with the bird symbol. It served as both a signature and a brag. The Gamesmakers were untouchable. Katniss quickly jotted her notes into an email and sent them to Haymitch. This situation could get ugly very quickly. They would have to be careful.

Her train of thought was interrupted by her phone, announcing that she had a text. Glancing at the ID, she frowned when she realized it wasn’t a number she was familiar with. Her cell phone number wasn’t readily available to just anyone. She clicked on the message, and grinned as the sender became abundantly clear. “How about mtg 2mor?” Peeta Mellark. She sent back, “Why? Purpose is to rprt progress. Only been one day.” She didn’t have to wait long before the phone beeped again, “I want to see you. Please.” Her breath shuddered in her throat. Damn Gale and his stupid encouragement. If he had just left her in peace, she wouldn’t in this mess. Wouldn’t even consider opening herself up again. Damn the man. Damn his blue eyes and sweet smile. Damn her traitorous heart for even considering it. She blew out an exhausted breath and picked up the phone, quickly punching in her reply. Covering her face in her hands, she flinched when she heard the phone beep again. Glancing down, she read, “Mockingbird Diner, 3pm. Don’t be late.” Clamping down on her galloping emotions, she tossed her phone back on the desk and hid her face in her hands once more. 

Prim had been drawing nonstop since class rotation had finished up. Her fingers and wrist ached but she could have cared less. Rue was grinning ear to ear as she tacked up the finished portraits of her family on the wall above her bed. She had described them in exacting detail. Prim had sketched and revised each drawing until Rue pronounced it was perfect. She pasted the finished ones onto backing to protect them, which also made them easier to hang. It was exhausting and Prim was looking forward to a good night’s sleep. However, it was worth it to see Rue happy.

The door banged open and before either girl realized they had company, the threesome had already entered and made themselves at home. Enobaria lounged in the solitary chair. Glimmer and Clove leaned against the dresser, watching and grinning. Enobaria wasted no time but addressed Rue pointedly, “You know what we are.” Rue’s terrified eyes met Prim’s and tears began to roll down her face. Prim stood up but Clove and Glimmer cut her off, their hands on her arms to restrain her. Enobaria repeated, “I asked you a question. Do you know what we are?” Rue silently nodded, her eyes never leaving Enobaria’s face. A satisfied smirk curled the older girl’s lip. “Well now, I do believe we have found ourselves a Tribute. How very convenient.” Rue made an animal-like whimper that chilled Prim’s blood. She pulled against the hold Clove had on her arm, trying to get to her friend to offer what comfort she could. Glimmer jerked Prim back roughly, slapping her in the back of the head sharply. Enobaria continued, ignoring the commotion behind her. “You will do what we say, when we say it, and how we say it. Otherwise, you know what will happen. Consider yourself reaped, little Tribute. You belong to us now. If you act out in any way or your friend causes the slightest hiccup in our plans, the punishment will be swift and painful.” Rue curled back into her pillows, clutching the worn teddy bear tightly. Her hands were visibly shaking and the tears still poured forth. Prim could only watch in horror as Enobaria walked over and pulled one of the drawings from where it hung on the wall. “Think carefully, little Tribute, before causing any trouble. I can get to anyone at any time. They won’t save you. They won’t even hear you beg.” She ripped the picture in half with one swift motion and tossed the pieces back onto the blankets. Smirking, Clove and Glimmer followed her out the door, shutting it behind them.

Prim carefully gathered Rue up in her arms, rocking her slowly and whispering nonsense as she tried to comfort her friend. Rue continued to sob quietly, her shaking hands clutching the teddy bear as her eyes stared fixedly on the ripped drawing. Prim wanted to go to Katniss but couldn’t think of a way to keep the others from finding out. Her mind raced furiously, even as she kept rocking and whispering in a vain attempt at comfort. Her mind settled finally on the one hope she had, the only hope she ever had. She couldn’t wait two weeks. Not now. Not with so much at stake. She had to talk to Peeta. He could help her. He always helped her. Prim continued to whisper and rock, her eyes, like Rue’s, resting on the destroyed drawing. Peeta would know what to do. He just had to.

End Part 5

 


	6. If You Say Stop, We'll Stop

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Chelzie for working her beta magic.

 

## Chapter 6: If You Say Stop, We'll Stop

She glared at the clock because the hands kept moving. The closer it got to three o’clock, the more butterflies clamored in her stomach. Finally at 2:49pm, she grabbed her keys and bag and stalked to the door, muttering and cursing until it closed behind her. Gale and Johanna exchanged satisfied glances. Phase one was underway. Gale pulled a cell phone from his pocket and sent a warning text message. Johanna slung an arm around his shoulders, resting her chin on the top of his head. “What if this little plan you two have cooked up doesn’t work?” she asked quietly.

Gale shrugged and twined his fingers with hers. “It will. It has to, Jo. She can’t keep hiding.” He placed a light kiss on their joined fingers, “She’s existing, not living. I owe it to her as a friend. I owe it to my brother. He would kick my ass for letting her carry on this long.”

Johanna laughed and mussed his hair affectionately. “I agree with you, brainless. I just think we’re slightly overstepping our bounds. Wouldn’t it be easier to just get her in the car along with him and let nature take its course? Why must we have an elaborate charade?”

Gale eyed her incredulously, “You do realize that this is Katniss Everdeen we are talking about? She will never do things the easy way. Anyway, we didn’t come up with this elaborate charade as you so aptly put it. She came up with this plan all on her own. She said we should just buy the tickets and drive them so that we don’t miss any of the juicy details. That’s exactly what we’re doing.” Johanna grinned, remembering the conversation from just a couple of days ago. Katniss had said those very words in a fit of pique. Gale continued, “Peeta and I just tweaked those details a little bit. She’ll still put up a fight. We’re just giving him an extra edge. With her, he’s going to need all the help he can get.” Johanna, unfortunately, couldn’t disagree with him on that. 

Katniss parked her Jeep and cleared the door at the Mockingbird Diner at 2:59pm. She looked around, noting with a great deal of annoyance that there was no familiar blond head occupying any of the tables. Her annoyance gave way to a flash of anger. Don’t be late indeed.

A petite blond garbed in a tight red blouse and short black skirt ambled over, menu in hand. “Welcome to the Mockingbird, table for one?” Katniss eyed her in frustration and nodded tightly. She was led to the only open booth, given the menu and a recitation of specials before Katniss asked for some tea, and then abandoned. So much for customer service, she thought darkly and glared at the menu.

“Should I be scared that you’re strangling the menu?” Peeta asked mildly. “Or are you wishing that it was my neck instead?” He slid into the other seat, smirking as her glare shifted to his face.

“I was ordered to appear at three o’clock. I came as ordered,” she groused, tossing the menu aside. “I can’t understand why someone requests a progress report after only one day, but here I am. You could have least had the courtesy of letting me know you would be late, especially after you demanded that I be on time.”

He chuckled at her tone and remarked, “I wasn’t late. I’ve been here since noon to help with the lunch rush. I didn’t get done cleaning up as soon as I had hoped, Katniss, so I was a few moments late. Please allow me to beg your forgiveness.” She met his amused gaze sharply and finally noticed the long white apron he had casually tossed aside. He followed her glance and chuckled quietly. “I didn’t expect that we would have such a crowd. It’s not usually that busy mid-week.” He gestured to the discarded menu, “You should get something. The food here is really good. And I’m not just saying that because I helped make it, either.”

Katniss’ eyebrows rose into her hairline as understanding dawned. So this was Sae’s restaurant. Very interesting. She retrieved the menu and flipped through it quickly. The waitress chose that very moment to finally return, Katniss’ tea in hand, and chirped, “Are you ready to order?” Katniss bit her lip at the cold tone and mutely shook her head. She dimly noted the name tag, “Madge” attached to the collar of the red blouse. Ms. Short Skirt stalked back toward the kitchen, anger rolling off her in waves. Ah, yes. This must be the Malibu Barbie that Prim spoke about. Katniss felt her mood take a turn for the better. The day was starting to look up.

Peeta clearly noted her changing expression and gratifyingly began to look a little nervous. He didn’t know what caused that sudden gleam to appear in her steely gray gaze. He did, however, notice how her eyes followed Madge and groaned to himself. He was going to kill Prim. His turncoat little sister had clearly spilled the beans. Peeta cursed himself for inviting Katniss to meet at the Mockingbird. It had seemed like such a promising idea that the time. He had completely overlooked that Prim might tell Katniss about his side job. He definitely had not considered that the little wretch would blabber about his embarrassing situation with Madge. The infernal woman wouldn’t take no for an answer, and being polite had gotten him exactly nowhere. Peeta had decided to let Sae know that he was no longer available to take shifts. He hated to give it up but he could see no other alternative. Until now.

Katniss waited impatiently for him to speak. She had clearly given away the fact that she was aware of his issues with the hired help. Pity. According to Prim, the show was a good one. She had no idea why he continued to sit there looking way too satisfied all of a sudden. She jumped as his hand slid across the table, catching hers and he began playing with her fingers. “I’m sorry that you had to wait, Sweetheart. I promise I’ll make it up to you tonight. Please don’t be mad.” He placed a nibbling kiss on each of her fingertips and almost ended up with a lap full of tea when she jumped at the contact.

“Tonight,” she squeaked, gray eyes wide. She twisted her fingers, trying to get them free but he continued to pepper the tips with kisses, his blue eyes dancing merrily at her predicament. “What do you mean tonight?”

“Katniss, I’m talking about the concert that we’re attending with Gale and Johanna. You didn’t forget, did you? Gale said that you and he made the arrangements at the office. He picked up the tickets this morning.” He smiled lazily, rotating her hand to place a soft kiss on the inside of her wrist.

Katniss mentally cursed Gale with every oath learned over the course of twenty-six years. She added a few in for Johanna as well, because there was no doubt in Katniss’ mind that she was involved in this little setup. She finally extricated her hand, “I thought this was a progress meeting about your sister, not a set up to get me to go out on a date with you,” she retorted coldly. “Gale is just being an ass. I expect Johanna to join in. It’s what she does best. How did they con you into it?”

Peeta rolled his eyes at her offended tone. He reached across the table and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “Nobody conned me into anything. Did you or did you not tell Gale that he needed to buy tickets to a concert and drive us there?” She mutely nodded so he continued, “He took that as a sign that you were willing to spend some time in my company. I enjoyed meeting your friends and was happy when he called earlier. It’s been too long since I’ve had some down time. I’m looking forward to it.”

“Fine,” she groused. “I’ll go, but this had better not happen again. And for future reference, don’t use me to clean up your other problems, either. You can deal with Malibu Barbie on your own.”

Peeta raised his eyebrows in surprise at her easy acceptance and the reference to Malibu Barbie. Prim had definitely talked. He would deal with her later. Right now, he had to placate the obviously irritated Katniss if there was any hope of enjoying a pleasant evening. “Don’t worry about Madge, honey. She’s going to be taken care of soon. I’m telling Sae today that I won’t be able to do shifts until she gets everything sorted out. I guess I’ll see you later then.” Climbing to his feet, he dropped a kiss on the top of her head and strolled toward the kitchen, whistling as he went.

Katniss growled an oath under her breath, snatched her bag up and headed for the exit. The waitress, Madge, watched her go with venomous eyes, and Katniss sent her a sugary smile as she pushed through the door. Peeta caught the exchange and tossed her an amused grin, causing one side of her mouth to quirk up in response. She gave Madge a challenging look and then blew Peeta a kiss before the door slammed shut behind her. Madge stamped her foot and glared at the door before turning her scowl on Peeta. He merely shrugged and continued into the kitchen. He hoped Gale and Johanna knew what they were doing. He didn’t want to be smacked. He also didn’t want to lose the opportunity to spend more time with her. That was the part that she didn’t need to know about just yet.

It was much later when the four of them parted company at Katniss’ front door. The night had gone unexpectedly well. The concert they attended featured a local band that wasn’t well-known, but put on a fantastic live performance. The night had been filled with easy laughter and joking. It had been something of a shock when Katniss came down wearing a skirt and vest top, her feet shod in comfortable leather sandals. She had accepted Peeta’s compliments gracefully, bantering with Gale and Johanna as though she didn’t have a care in the world. It was almost surreal, which made Peeta very wary. She reminded him of a ticking bomb just waiting for the right stimulus to explode in fire and devastation.

They had met at Katniss’ place, piled into Gale’s beat up Range Rover, and made it just in time for the opening number. Afterward, they had stopped at the Mockingbird for a late supper. Sae was running the register when they entered and greeted all of them like old friends. She gave them their meal on the house, insisting that they try the homemade blackberry cobbler. Sae also told Peeta that there was no need for him to discontinue his shifts if he still wanted to work. The Madge situation had been handled. Peeta actually felt a little sorry for Madge, since Sae’s methods of taking care of a situation weren’t known to be pleasant. The girl was lucky that she maintained her job; Sae wasn’t known for giving second chances.

Gale and Johanna dropped them off, laughingly suggesting that they do it again soon. Katniss rolled her eyes and retorted that she would love to be asked instead of coerced. Peeta just shook his head at her reprovingly, giving Gale even more ammunition as her face reddened in embarrassment. The two stood awkwardly, watching the lights fade into the night. Finally, Katniss cleared her throat and asked hesitantly, “Do you want to come in?”

Peeta flashed a half-hearted smile, “I don’t think that’s such a good idea, do you? It’s been a long day. I’m sure you have a lot to do tomorrow. You’ve been forced into my company enough for one day.”

Katniss nodded mutely, her expression suddenly downcast. “No, I haven’t been forced into anything. But if you have to go, it’s okay. I just thought you might want to…”her voice trailed off and she looked even more uncomfortable.

He gently touched her hand. When her gaze lifted to his, he said, “It’s not that I don’t want to stay, Katniss. I just don’t want to intrude. If you want me to stay, I’ll stay.”

She smiled up at him shyly and turned toward the building. They entered the elevator and he was surprised when she hit the button for the roof access. He looked at her questioningly. “I want you to see something. I think you’ll like it. It’s my favorite place in the world.” He nodded mutely and tried not to look too pleased as she reached for his hand the moment the door opened.

They stepped out into a fairy tale. The moon gave just enough light to outline the gravel path that wound back and forth amongst the beds and pots. The landlord had set up the roof as a pocket-sized garden, complete with a tinkling fountain and wind chimes that danced when caught in a convenient breeze. Small flowering shrubs edged the pathways that separated the roof into several different beds. At the center, a small waterfall flowed endlessly into a pond enclosure, the water splashing soothingly on the rocks carefully arranged below.

She stood quietly with her eyes closed and let the peacefulness quiet the butterflies in her stomach. They had started the moment that Gale drove off, leaving her gazing into a pair of brilliant blue eyes. She had acted on instinct, inviting him to see her sanctuary. She had never brought anyone to her rooftop garden before; it was hers alone. She shivered and felt his hands on her shoulders, briskly rubbing up and down her arms as if he could warm her by touch alone. She leaned into his chest, eyes still closed and sighed contentedly as his hands dropped to encircle her waist and pull her closer. He hugged her tightly for a second then loosened his hold. One of his hands tangled in her braid, undoing the tie and separating the strands until they hung in loose waves about her shoulders and back. He turned her around to face him, eyes taking in his handiwork. She smiled slightly at his wondering expression and brushed the wayward strands behind her ears. The quiet air around them began to hum with shared anticipation. He stepped forward, lowering his head and she stopped him, unsure and unsteady on her feet.

“Why did you bring me pastries, Peeta? Especially those pastries?” she questioned.

“I don’t know,” he responded after an uncomfortable minute. “I really don’t. I guess Prim told you the significance.” He laughed quietly, running a hand through the already tumbled curls. “They were kind of a tradition with my parents. My Dad used them when he proposed. He gave them to Mom each year on their anniversary. I loved to see the look on her face when he would hand her that bag. You would have thought she held the whole world in her hand. At least, that’s what her face looked like.” He hesitated, clearly choosing his words. “I wasn’t aiming that high when I gave them to you. I just wanted to make you smile. You were so full of life and enthusiasm when you came to my office to talk about Prim. You made me believe that she could get it together and be okay again. I wanted to thank you for that, I guess. And, I’ll admit, I wanted to see you again. It had been so long since I’d felt anything good. I just wanted to return the favor, hence the pastries. I just wanted to repay you. It was stupid, I know.”

He trailed off, surprised as she stepped toward him, her hands coming up to cup his face. He grabbed her wrists, holding her hands to his cheeks. Their lips met in a quick exchange of pressure and breath before she pulled back. Her eyes searched his, looking furiously for what, he didn’t know. He held her gaze, pressing her palm to his mouth and then gently kissing each finger in turn. She shivered again, the cold air contrasting with the heat where he held her. Releasing her hand, he removed his jacket and swept it about her shoulders, enfolding her in its warmth.

“What are we doing?” she whispered shakily.

“I don’t know, Sweetheart,” he answered quietly. “This was your idea. What do you want to do?”

She shook her head, eyes closing as she fought some internal battle. When they opened, Peeta was startled to see a haze of tears in the gray depths. He reached for her again and she deftly sidestepped his hands, moving to a small bench and sinking down. He followed her, his gaze never leaving her face, and waited until she spoke. “I wasn’t looking for this. I didn’t plan this. You were just so…” she trailed off, shifting uncomfortably. “Please, Peeta. I’m begging you for both of our sakes. Don’t make me love you. I don’t think I could handle it.”

Startled at her words, he grabbed her shoulders and waited until her eyes met his before speaking, “Make you love me? Sweetheart, I couldn’t even if I wanted to. It’s completely your choice, Katniss, as to how far this thing goes.” He smiled ruefully at her. “I was a goner from the moment you came into my office. Nothing I’ve seen since then has altered my opinion in the slightest.” He twined her fingers with his once more. “I don’t know where this is going. I’m afraid to question it. But you have to realize that unless you want it too, that this is as far as it goes. I could love you, Katniss. I know that I could. But I can’t and won’t force you to love me back. We both deserve better.”

She leaned forward and their lips met again. Slow and warm, gentle and giving. She felt as though he had lit a fire in her. It terrified and excited her at the same time. Eventually, he pulled away and rested his forehead against her shoulder. Meeting her gaze, he smiled and pushed her hair back, trapping the flyaway strands between his fingers. “We can’t figure this out tonight,” he whispered. “After Prim is done, we will talk this out. If you say stop, we’ll stop. But I promise you this, I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me, so get used to it.”

She smiled, her fingers tangling into his hair. “I think I can handle it,” she retorted. “I’m not going anywhere, either. You’ve got yourself a deal, Mellark. In three months, we decide.” They curled into each other, hands and mouths meeting to seal the deal. Three months. It suddenly seemed like an eternity away.

End Part 6

 


	7. Give a heart away

 

Chapter 7: Give a Heart Away

Johanna laughed at Gale's overtly giddy expression as he maneuvered the Range Rover into his usual space in the garage. He looked happy, more so than she had seen him in a while. It lifted her spirits to see him looking so carefree for a change. Johanna knew that he worried about Katniss. She was more of a little sister to him than a best friend. Gale took the role of protector upon himself, never listening when both Johanna and Katniss herself tried to deter him. The success of last night's outing had lifted a load from Gale's shoulders. What that load entailed was not information he shared with Johanna. She accepted that there were facets to their long friendship that she would never fully know or understand. Johanna knew that Gale loved her. As long as that fact remained, she didn't need to know anything else.

"Do you think they can fly solo from now on or will we have to babysit them for a while longer?" she questioned playfully.

He grinned at her, his gray eyes alight with shared amusement. "I don't know. They looked pretty cozy when we dropped them off last night. Good Lord, she even wore a skirt. We could be completely off the hook." Johanna rolled her eyes at his hopeful tone. Yep, he was definitely giddy. She almost dreaded the moment he set eyes on Katniss. The teasing was going to be epic. The car slid to a stop and Johanna twisted to get her bag out of the back seat. Snagging the shoulder strap, she unsnapped the seat belt and prepared to exit the car. She was about to ask him teasingly if he had forgotten how to open the door when she caught sight of his face.

The gray eyes had lost all semblance of gaiety. His brows were drawn down, lips pressed together tightly as he stared fixedly at the car a couple of spaces over. Johanna followed his gaze, feeling a mild tingle of shock as she recognized Katniss' Jeep. She felt a knot of something curl through her belly. Katniss was never on time, nor did she ever beat them to the office. It didn't necessarily mean that something was wrong, however; it was just strange enough to curb their good mood and bring an unexpected tension to fill the void. "Damn it," Gale hissed through his teeth. "Damn it all to Hell." Apparently, he knew something more than Johanna did in this particular case. Exchanging grim glances, they grabbed their gear and headed for the elevators at a fast pace.

The office was mostly deserted when they pushed the door open. The clatter and low voices from Haymitch's area showed that Effie Trinket was already hard at it. The smell of fresh bagels and coffee indicated that she had stopped on the way in and procured breakfast. In the main room, Annie sat at her desk looking lost in a stack of case forms. Annie handled the group sessions with Finnick and did the more rigorous one-on-one sessions herself. She had clearly picked up the memory pictures from the first group and was examining both the drawings and notes to have a baseline once the personal sessions started today. She was engrossed in whatever she was currently looking at and didn't notice them enter. The only other occupant failed to notice their appearance. Katniss was huddled in her chair, legs drawn up and arms clasped tightly around her knees. She appeared lost in thought but otherwise okay. Johanna breathed a sigh of relief and glanced at Gale. His eyes looked desolate and lost as they took in her curled up form. Johanna frowned, now realizing that she was missing something important. Katniss peered at them over her bent knees and Johanna reeled at her expression.

Her eyes were red and swollen, dark circles faintly visible even across the room. She was pale, wan, and looked like she hadn't slept at all. Her mind flickering back to the laughing, joking girl from the night before, Johanna couldn't reconcile this image with that memory. She had no idea what could have happened in so short of a time to have brought about such a change. She looked back at Gale hoping for an explanation, but the change in him was even more puzzling. Fists clenched at his side and breathing heavily, he looked ready to charge through a brick wall. She put a hand on his arm to stay him and draw his attention to her. When he met her gaze, she hissed, "What the hell is going on, Gale? She looks like she hasn't slept in a week and your head is going to explode if you don't lighten up. What am I missing? Does Peeta have anything to do with this?"

Gale's eyes softened and he shook his head reluctantly, "No. He didn't have anything to do with this, at least not directly. I should have seen this coming. I shouldn't have pushed her."

Johanna snorted, "Shouldn't have pushed her. Gale, she wanted to or she wouldn't have gone. You know that as well as I do. She's never been interested before. You saw the difference this time. Don't tell me you didn't. She wanted him. I don't understand what's brought this reaction on. You know he wouldn't do anything to hurt her."

Gale shook his head, "I knew she was interested, Jo. That's not what I meant. She told me she wasn't sure. I pushed her to open up. She's obviously not ready. She may never be." He pounded his fist into the open palm of his other hand. "I knew I shouldn't have pushed her. This is completely my fault." Johanna shook her head but his eyes were back on the form sitting across the room. She gently took his hand and forced his attention back to her.

"I want you to get some coffee and calm down. Go on. I'll talk to her." She inclined her head toward the common area. "Just go, please. She doesn't need you hanging around interrogating her and feeling sorry for yourself over something you can't do anything about." He finally consented. Johanna absently brushed his cheek with a hand, then watched as he made his way toward the snack room. She blew out a breath and walked over to Katniss' desk, deliberately taking a chair in the girl's line of sight. "I would say good morning, but I can see that it's not. Care to tell me what's bothering you?" she questioned gently.

Katniss' eyes met hers briefly before resuming her staring contest with the far opposite wall. "Where's Gale?" she asked. "Did he leave?"

Johanna shook her head, "I sent him for some coffee. He looked like he needed it. So do you for that matter. What happened, Katniss? Did you and Peeta have a fight after we left?" Her tone implied that she didn't really see this as an option, but she asked anyway to be thorough. A hesitant head shake was her answer. "Then what is it? You know you can talk to me. What has you so upset that Gale freaked out just from the sight of you?"

Katniss met her friend's worried brown gaze and felt tears sting her eyes again. She ruthlessly suppressed them but the knot in her throat refused to be dealt with quite so easily. She swallowed noisily and felt a sob shake her shoulders. Fighting against the emotions which threatened to swamp her, she mutely shook her head. Johanna's hand on her arm broke whatever hold she had on the wellspring of tears and they began to flow silently down her face. Seeing this, Johanna's arms encircled her and Katniss let herself fall apart, crying desperately into her hands even as Johanna held her tightly. "I can't do this. I thought I could, but I can't," she choked out, her voice trembling. "I can't do this again."

Johanna let her cry it out and gently rubbed her back as she wound down. "Can't do what? Honey, nobody is going to make you do anything you don't want to do. Not me, not Gale, and certainly not Peeta. What is going on?"

Katniss shook her head again, angrily wiping her eyes. "I know that. Peeta even said that it was up to me how far we would take this. He left it completely in my hands." Her mouth tightened in a parody of a smile, but there was no amusement in it. "We decided to wait until Prim made it through before defining it. I made that deal with him. I did, but I shouldn't have. I can't do this and I won't hurt him by pretending I can." She grabbed her bag and leapt to her feet. "Thank you, but I've got things to do. I'll see you later."

Johanna watched her as she practically ran from the room. Turning back, she met Annie's eye. The brown-haired woman had witnessed most of the exchange. She looked just as confused as Johanna felt. What the hell had happened and how were they going to fix this? Her cell phone beeping cut off that train of thought as she pulled it from her pocket and flipped it open. Her brow furrowed as she read the e-mail. "Jo, I had to cut out. I'm going to see Peeta. He deserves to know why she won't see him anymore. See you later today. Will explain then. Love, Gale." Hissing in frustration, Johanna shoved her phone back into her pocket and tromped to her desk. Somebody was going to explain to her exactly what was going on, preferably before she lost it and punched something. She grabbed a pile of files and began initialing class reports, momentarily losing herself in the tedious task.

Rue was gone from the room when Prim returned from her one-on-one session with Annie Cresta. The woman was nice and seemed genuinely interested in the drawing she had sketched in group. She questioned Prim as to why that she had chosen that memory in particular. Prim responded that her brother had raised her after their parents died. He always made sure to spend time with her, and that made her happy. Annie asked her to try and be more specific—what was so special about that memory. Prim had been so distracted in her thoughts about Rue and how to help that she couldn't come up with a real answer. Ms. Cresta didn't seem angry, but Prim could tell she thought there was more to the story than was being said. She didn't have time to play these silly games. She had to get to Peeta. It was the only way to help her friend.

Prim had talked to Katniss briefly after the infamous visit. Katniss had asked about the classes Prim had chosen, how she liked her roommate and made general small talk. She accepted Prim's monosyllabic responses but regarded her with curious eyes. Katniss had seen through Prim's attempts to hide that anything was wrong. She didn't call her out on it, but they both knew that something wasn't right. Prim dreaded the inevitable questions. She didn't want to lie to Katniss. She didn't want to lose the respect and trust that had been forming between them. It was almost like having an older sister. Prim didn't want to lose that feeling, but she couldn't allow her friend to suffer any more pain. So she hedged and gave deliberately vague answers to any questions that came her way.

The door opened silently and Rue shuffled in. Her gait was painful and slow. Prim leapt from the bed and immediately ran to help her. She eased her down onto her blankets, fingers probing her middle where Rue's arms were protectively folded. A strained hiss alerted Prim that there was indeed something hidden beneath Rue's shirt. She asked softly, "Can I see? Please?" Rue's big doe eyes hazed over with tears and she moved her arms, wincing as pain arched its way through her body. Prim pushed up the shirt hem and gasped, tears filling her own eyes. The bruising was just starting to become clear. The skin over her ribs was scraped in places, red and raw in others. She traced the clear pattern of a shoe print outlined in bluish purple on Rue's scrawny back. Biting back tears, Prim softly asked, "Are your ribs broken, Rue? Did they hit you anywhere besides here?"

Rue shook her head, wincing and her hair swung with the motion. Prim spotted something behind her left ear and gently caught her friend's shoulder, angling her head for a closer look. A thin line of blood beaded up behind her ear, the bald spot where hair had been harshly jerked out blatantly obvious now that she knew where to look. "We have to tell somebody. You can't take this. It will kill you!" Prim grated. Rue shook her head violently. "You have to let me. I can't stand by and let this happen, Rue. You're my friend. They can't get away with this."

Rue slurped down a glass of water and then held the glass out for another. "You can't tell. They will hurt you or my family if you do. They know too much about what goes on here, Prim. You can't get involved." She slipped an extra sheet out of the closet and began to fold it lengthwise until she had a sturdy bandage. Prim helped her remove her jacket and lift the shirt. She then wound the sheet as tightly around Rue's torso as she could stand it. Next, she got a wet cloth and dabbed at the blood crusted area behind her ear. Prim had scrounged a couple of alcohol wipes and some antibiotic ointment from the medical area. She swabbed the area, blowing on it lightly to take away the sting, and then put a thin layer of the ointment over it to stave off infection. "Rue, how did you know what Enobaria was talking about? Did you know her before?"

Rue shook her head and eased down in the pillows. Her breathing was shallow and halting as she shifted, trying to get comfortable. Prim picked up her spare pillow and eased it behind Rue's back. The answering sigh assured her that her friend had found a way to rest without further aggravating her injuries. "My aunt made a deal with one of the members for a shipment. Cray, I think his name was. He's old and tired looking. Been in the life too long. She gave my little sister to them for a supply of meth. I volunteered to go in my sister's place. She's only eight. I couldn't let that old man carry her off. I begged them to let me go instead. They are called the Gamesmakers. Stupid name, if you asked me. They are big, powerful, and mean. Cray must be pretty high up. He made the deal for the trade. They call us tributes, the ones who are brought in to settle a debt. Tributes are the lowest you can get. They do the dirty work, get beaten, and are killed if they do the slightest thing wrong. I had been there for about a week. I saw Enobaria in and out before she got picked up. The other two were there, too. They just hung around, hoping that someone would notice them. They've got the marks but haven't officially been brought in yet. That's how they knew me. I ran off because Cray told me that he was about to get my little sister. My aunt had gone through her stash and needed more. She was going to give up my sister this time. I knew she would have them holed up in that old house in the Seam. It was the only place she had left to go. I waited until the coast was clear and took off. I'm small so it was pretty easy to slip past most of their guards. I found the kids starving in that house. The police picked me up when I was digging through the dumpster behind the bakery. Since they throw out the burned loaves, I figured that would be the quickest way of getting them some food since I didn't have any money. Plus, I had to stay low because I knew Cray would be looking for me. When I got arrested, I took the chance because I had to. I couldn't leave the kids there. You know the rest."

Prim's mind reeled at the story Rue told so bluntly and unfeelingly. It was barbaric what her friend had been through. Prim didn't think she could have endured it, much less had the wit to escape and get help. Her friend was much braver than Prim had ever thought about being. She just had to help her. She eased her other pillow under Rue's knees to keep her as still as possible and then lay down on her own bunk. Tomorrow, Prim decided, she would find a way to call Peeta. Then he could fix it so Rue could be safe. Prim's eyelids drooped and she fell into sleep, absolutely knowing that Peeta would fix it if she could just tell him. He could fix anything. He always had.

"Peeta, Gale Hawthorne is here to see you. Do you want me to show him in?" Sae's voice pulled him out of the reverie he had fallen into yet again. Peeta had been fighting a losing battle all day, trying to concentrate on work. Every time he made the slightest bit of progress, a memory of silvery eyes in the moonlight would flit through his mind and he was lost. Dark hair spilling in waves over slim shoulders. Dancing to a song of falling water and clanging chimes. A pleading voice begging him not to make her fall in love. The knot in his throat when he saw tears about to fall and didn't know how to stop them. The smile when he said he wasn't going anywhere. The softness of a stolen kiss before her door slipped shut behind her.

Peeta shook his head, angrily scrubbing his hand through his ashy blond curls. Damn it. He had to get his mind back on his work and soon. The client had approved the mock up design with minimal changes. He had to get those revisions done by end of day so that they could be at the printer in the morning for the first run. Blowing out an irritated breath, Peeta keyed the intercom. "Send him in, Sae, and hold all my calls for the rest of the day. I have to get this draft done before leaving." He heard her acknowledgement and then released the line.

The door banged open and Gale Hawthorne eased into the office. Peeta smiled and made his way around the desk, hand outstretched. "I never got the chance to thank you for getting those tickets," he stated. "It was a really great night. We'll have to do it again soon." Gale smiled half-heartedly and returned the handshake. Peeta's brow furrowed and he gestured for Gale to take a seat. He looked at the other man, noticing that Gale's usually teasing demeanor was absent. "Gale, is something wrong?" he asked quietly. "Is it Prim or Katniss?"

Gale's eyes clouded and he seemed to hesitate before speaking, "No. Your sister is fine. I need to talk to you about Katniss. It's something that I should have told you earlier. I initially considered it," he remarked critically. "But I didn't think it would be an issue so I held off. It was wrong of me to do that and I owe you an apology."

Peeta raised his brows, thoroughly confused at this point. "You should have told me what earlier? Is she sick or married? Forgive me, but those are the only two things that I can think of to spark such a visit. So which is it?"

Gale looked slightly annoyed at his tone. His jaw worked briefly as he pondered how to attack this issue. Head on, he decided, was usually the best way. "She likes you. That much is obvious. It was even before we went to that concert. You seem to care about her, too." He glanced at Peeta for confirmation and received an impatient nod for his trouble. Gale continued, "I figured as much, which is why I wanted you two to go out. She hasn't exactly been sociable and if anyone deserves to be happy, it's her." He rubbed his hand through his hair wearily. "Katniss was never an open person, even when we were kids. She doesn't trust or make friends easily. She is the most loyal person I know. But things have happened to make her lose faith in what most people take for granted. She's lost two people very important to her, and in the worst way that anyone could. It's left her scared and scarred. It's left her afraid to let go with anyone again. She's lost almost everyone she's ever loved. Somebody like Katniss can't let go of that. She won't, because she's afraid she will lose someone else. She can't take that kind of hurt again. It would kill her."

Peeta bit his lip. This was definitely not what he had been expecting to hear. That explained her begging, "Don't make me fall in love with you. I don't think I could handle that." She had told him what but not the why. It appeared as though Gale had come with the intentions of answering that question. "Who did she lose?" Peeta asked huskily.

"She lost her father right before we graduated high school. He was a mining inspector. Gas pocket let go and he was caught in it, along with five others. None of them made it out." Gale's voice faltered but he forced himself to continue. "The second was my brother, Ryder. They were engaged. He was killed overseas during his deployment while guarding a convoy. They were supposed to be married the next time he got leave. I'm the only one who knew about the engagement. It almost killed her when the call came. She shut down completely. She dove into her work. It went on for months at a time and I wouldn't hear from her except for work stuff. Finally, she seemed to get her feet back under her. I thought she was ready to live again. I was wrong and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have encouraged you. She's scared to death and close to going off again. Ryder and her Dad dying so close together opened up something in her. I don't know how to fix it. I don't think she does, either. I just wanted you to know. I don't think she'll agree to a repeat of last night. She's too afraid and she won't risk it."

Peeta slowly digested this news, examining it through the framework of her actions the previous night. The tears and the pleading made perfect sense now that he knew the history behind the actions. And yet, she had still let him kiss her. She still agreed to the three month waiting period. From what Gale was insinuating, her nerves had gotten the better of her. She was reneging on that deal. Peeta knew that left him with two courses of action: he could respect it or he could fight for what he wanted. Biting his lip, Peeta closed his eyes and replayed those moments on the roof once more. He let out a shuddering breath and reached his decision.

"Gale thanks for telling me," Peeta stated. "You're a good friend to her and to me. You're a hell of a guy to bring this to me, you know. Most people would have just stayed out of it and let the whole thing blow up. I appreciate that you didn't do that."

"I don't work that way. Not when it comes to important things. I'm only an ass when nothing is on the line. It makes life easier that way." Gale grinned crookedly at his own joke before becoming serious, "You deserved to know the truth. The real question is what you're going to do with it."

Peeta grinned, some real amusement behind it and he announced, "I'm going to change her mind, of course. I told her that I couldn't force her to love me, which is true; I can't. But that won't stop me from giving her every reason to fall on her own. So what do you say, Gale, want to help me out? I promise you won't regret it."

Gale eyed him for a full minute, clearly weighing the options. Then, like sunlight through a cloud, an answering grin broke out across his face. He stuck out a hand and Peeta grasped it. "It would be an honor," Gale answered. Peeta nodded and drew in a long breath. Now they just needed a plan. He had no idea what kind, but something would come to him. It usually did.

End Part 7.


	8. she loves me, she loves me not

Chapter 8: She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not

She was quiet. She was delicate. She also had a sweetly vague air about her that made people speaking with her drop their guard and divulge their deepest, darkest secrets. She also had a temper like lightning when things didn't go according to plan, as Finnick Odair was quickly finding out.

"I've told you for the tenth time," he grated, a hint of strained patience noticeable in his voice. "I tacked a post-it to your monitor advising you that the therapy order was being changed. How exactly is it my fault that you didn't see it?"

Tangled dark hair swung about like a flail as she wheeled her chair around to face him. Finnick took a quick step back as sea green eyes flashed a promise of mayhem in his direction. "Show me where exactly in our procedures book that it advises the proper method of changing therapy protocol is to stick a post-it onto a computer monitor," Annie growled. "If you deviate from the original plan, you have to let me know; otherwise I'm completely out of the loop when we get to the personal sessions. Not only do I look like an idiot but it undermines the process, Finnick. Even a pompous ass like you should be able to appreciate that fact."

Finnick felt his cheeks heat followed by his temper. "Quick to go for the low blow, honey?" His gaze swept her from head to toe and she stiffened in outrage. "Everyone else in this office can get by without having every little detail done according to procedure. Why should you be any different? Loosen up your corset and live a little. If you need any help, I'm more than happy to be of service." She sputtered an incoherent reply, her face getting progressively redder. Finnick appeared to lose all interest as he perched on the corner of the desk, feet swinging, and popped sugar cubes into his mouth.

"How dare you!" she screeched. "Just who the hell do you think you are?"

Finnick shook his head in amusement. "I was just making a friendly offer. You seem stressed. It's not healthy for you to maintain such a high level of tension. If you're not careful, you will burn yourself out. I merely asked if I could do something to assist you as any good co-worker and friend would."

Annie pulled herself up proudly and glowered at him. "Whatever gave you the idea that I would turn to you of all people to help with stress relief?" she spat. "I've seen how you operate, Odair, and I have no intention of being a member of your harem. You can keep your opinions and your assistance to yourself. I'm not interested." She grabbed her notes and swept out of the room, long brown locks waving furiously behind her.

Haymitch, who had witnessed the entire exchange from the safety of his office door, turned to scowl at the shell-shocked redhead. "Boy, you do realize that she could file a complaint on you for that little stunt. There's no way I can save your hide if she does and wants to push it."

Finnick grimaced at the old man and popped another sugar cube into his mouth, eyes thoughtful. "She really went off on me, didn't she? I didn't think she had it in her. All that spit and sass in such a little package." He smirked at Haymitch. "Don't worry, old man. I'll fill out her damned form from now on. And I won't offer to show her any of my special relaxation techniques. I wouldn't want to offend her feminine sensibilities."

Haymitch snickered, "See that you don't. Don't need any more paperwork around here. I'm buried as it is." He staggered back into his office, slamming the door. Finnick rolled his eyes, then let his gaze wander back to the door she had stalked out of in such high dungeon. Who would have dreamed that Annie Cresta would fire up like that? Finnick's lips curled up as his mind furiously plotted his next move. No, he wouldn't offer to help with her relaxation techniques anymore. His plan called for a direction that was quite the opposite of that course of action. If she could explode so marvelously over a trivial matter like a post-it, he couldn't wait to see the superb rampage she was capable of when something truly didn't go her way. Hands in his pockets, Finnick leisurely strolled back to his desk to strategize his next maneuver.

She lost herself in the simple repetitive motions. There was a certain beauty in being able to do one thing well. After years of practice and honing the skill to perfection, thinking became secondary to the action itself. Muscle memory took over, ingrained reflexes in command, timing set by redundancy. Feet shoulder width apart, fingers precisely placed. Arrow nocked and drawn back in one smooth motion lining up with the lobe of the ear. Steadying the shaft with a finger before swinging free. Breath inhaled and released in time for the let go. The quivering stop once the target is acquired.

She had been at it for hours, duplicating this one action over and over as if the act in itself could block out those things she wished to avoid. She had broken. She had given in. She had let down her walls and opened up. It was not to be borne. To allow her to feel was unacceptable. To love again unbearable. Katniss hissed in fury as she pulled the bow, causing the arrow to veer off target. Stupid. So stupid. She had only known him for five days. That was much too short of a time for him to affect her in this fashion. He had crept past all her defenses and now refused to leave. She wished she had never laid eyes on him. She wished he was here with her now.

Another miss and Katniss decided that the insulating value of target practice had been spent. She cleaned up her equipment, put everything back into the varying slots and decided to call it a day. Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she headed for the parking lot. An early night with a good book, a cold drink, and her stupid cat was all she could think about. Maybe the usual routine would soothe her enough to block out the memories of those stolen moments on the roof. Maybe she could convince herself that it had all been just a dream, that it wasn't real. Yeah, right. Who was she trying to fool?

She was startled to see a reclining figure propped up on her Jeep. Short brownish hair and brown eyes easily identified as Johanna Mason. Katniss sighed. She owed Johanna an apology for running out on her. Johanna didn't know the full story and Katniss had never felt the urge to enlighten her. The past was dead and gone and she was the only one who still had to deal with that reality. Johanna had just been caught in the rubble when Katniss fell apart. She wouldn't let it happen again.

"I've been waiting for you. I need your help," Johanna announced. "You are my only hope so you can't say no."

Katniss eyed her wearily. So much for my grand plan, she thought to herself. "What's up, Jo? Where's your not so better half?"

Johanna tossed her a languid grin. "He's off with the boys plotting a strategy for Finnick. Apparently, he's found someone new to torture. You know what that means. At least we'll have some good entertainment for the next couple of weeks. Finnick with a crush is worth its weight in gold."

Katniss grinned at the thought of Gale assisting Finnick with one of his schemes to pursue yet another unsuspecting female. The last time had resulted in some very revealing pictures of Finnick wearing what looked like fishing net around his hips and little else. The fact that he was also toting a trident only added to the fun. The girl apparently had an appreciation for Greek and Roman mythology and Finnick had decided that was the perfect opening.

Needless to say, the gesture failed miserably and Finnick had to suffer through a plethora of fishing jokes, songs featuring sea lyrics, and comments that maybe he had used the wrong bait. He handled it gracefully with a ready smile and quick retort. Katniss, however, could see the hidden vulnerability he tried so desperately to stifle. She didn't join in the teasing, choosing instead to commiserate over their mutual bad luck with relationships and eat sugar cubes. She dreaded to see what this particular round would bring. Finnick was notorious for his willingness to go to any length in the pursuit of love and happiness.

"What do you need me to do?" Katniss asked as she threw her bag into the rear seat. She propped herself up by Johanna and regarded her cautiously. "I refuse to get involved with Finnick's plans. The last time, I was forced to drive him around for hours on a stakeout because she knew his car. We almost got arrested. Luckily, the cop knew Haymitch and thought we were out looking for one of the program kids. I swore that was the last time, Johanna. So count me out."

Johanna burst out laughing at the mental image of Katniss and Finnick cruising some poor girl's neighborhood. "I would love to hear that story another time. That's not why I need your help, though. Gale has abandoned me for the evening and I refuse to go home alone. You must keep me entertained. It's your duty as my friend."

Katniss groaned. Just as she suspected. So much for a quiet evening at home. "Fine," she mumbled. "But I'm not going out. You can come home with me if you want. I don't know how exciting it will be for you, but it's better than nothing."

Johanna cheerfully agreed and swung herself into the Jeep's passenger seat. Katniss had put the car in reverse when Johanna announced, "Annie is coming over, too. She was pretty upset when I ran into her earlier. I told her to meet us at your place in an hour. So if you don't have provisions, we need to stop for liquor and snacks."

Katniss didn't bother to voice any objection. She knew a losing battle when she saw it. "Fine," she groused. "Snacks and liquor it is. What has Annie upset?"

Johanna shrugged. "Some jerk called her uptight and offered to help her loosen up. She's furious. I'm surprised she didn't smack the guy. Annie's got something of a temper when you get her riled."

Katniss laughed. "Sounds like something Finnick would say. Guess it's a good thing he wasn't around or he would be the one offering. Heaven help us if that ever happens." Johanna chuckled, nodding her head in agreement. Those two together would be like gas with a match lit. Kaboom!

Gale and Finnick were already on their third beer apiece when the rest of the party strolled into the bar. Gale lifted a hand and waved him over, then turned to his downcast friend. "I'm sure we'll think of something, Finnick. It's way too early to give up. From what you've told me, she doesn't even know you're interested. Besides, I've called in reinforcements. He's having a similar problem; maybe between the two of you, you can come up with a workable solution." Gale looked up as the other seat was taken, flipping a small salute. "Nice of you to join us. Maybe now we can get this party started." The waitress set down three shots of tequila along with a salt shaker and bowl of lemons.

Peeta Mellark grinned and remarked, "Well, I couldn't exactly turn down the invitation after you insinuated that there might be a possible solution to my problem, now could I?" His glance swung curiously to Finnick and Gale airily made the introductions. "Finnick Odair, Better Way psychologist extraordinaire, say hello to Peeta Mellark, cook, artist, and generally good guy." The two shook hands and then Peeta asked carefully, "How exactly is a psychologist going to help me? I don't need a psych report on her. I just need to figure out how to get past the fortress she's locked herself in."

Finnick chuckled, "Now I see. Mellark. As in Primrose Mellark's brother, the purveyor of pastries for our fair Ms. Everdeen. Gale, you were absolutely right. This poor soul needs all the help he can get." He slapped Peeta's shoulder. "We have similar issues, my friend. Gale was correct that we can help each other. You have taken on a worthy task in winning the heart of that young lady. I must warn you that she is the worst kind of woman: smart, self-sufficient, and fairly deadly with that little arsenal she keeps locked up. You're either extremely brave or glaringly stupid. Only time will tell, I suppose, which one is the truth."

Peeta looked stunned for a moment, threw a disbelieving glance at Gale, and then laughed out loud. "With manners like that, it's no wonder you have women problems. What exactly is the purpose of this little strategy meeting? Is this the part where you tell me it's hopeless and that I need to just let her be? If that is the case, forget it. I'm not walking away that easily."

Finnick observed him quietly and then exchanged a look with Gale. "He will do quite nicely, won't he? I think our Ms. Everdeen might just have met her match." Finnick pulled the sugar bowl a little closer and snagged a few bundles. He chewed slowly, savoring the sweetness and then elaborated, "Peeta, you and I have the same problem. We are both interested in women who have convinced themselves that they can't trust their feelings anymore. One has become so rigid in procedure that she probably has a twelve step program to cook an egg in the morning. The other has closed herself off emotionally. She has brief moments where it seems like life has called her out, but those are few and fleeting. We need to assist them to break those destructive patterns and reap the rewards."

Peeta eyed Gale in amusement and then asked hesitantly, "I think I follow you. How exactly do you propose we get them to break their patterns?"

Finnick laughed, "There are three ways to break a cyclical behavior pattern. You stress the patient when they fall into the cycle. The stress disrupts their self-comfort regimen and they are forced to act in a way that they might not normally consider. This is the most aggressive of the three and I understand that it didn't work so well for Katniss during the morning after. She went out with you, enjoyed it, and then felt guilty. The guilt caused a sort of panic attack and she has convinced herself that avoidance is the only way to keep from having a reoccurrence. Am I right?" Peeta and Gale both nodded. "The second way is to entice the patient into breaking their pattern themselves. Give them a result that will gratify them more than the old habits do. After all, you will go with what makes you feel better. The trick is to get to the root cause of the behavior and tailor your counteract to balance that. The third is to combine the two. Both agitate and beguile. This one is actually the most effective. That is course of treatment that I would most recommend if they were my patients."

"Basically, you find out what they need and make it look like the thing they want the most. Is that a fair conclusion?" Peeta questioned hesitantly.

Finnick clasped Peeta's shoulder and winked at Gale, "By jove, I do believe he's got it, Mr. Hawthorne. Very good, Peeta. Now, the question is how can we convince these two lovely ladies that they just can't live without us?"

Pensive frowns were exchanged and then Gale's eyes lit up, "Gentlemen, I think I have it. The question is whether or not you are willing to go the distance?"

Finnick tossed back his shot and slammed the small glass on the table surface, exchanging the ever present sugar for a lemon. He shook his head and yelled, "You know I'm there."

Peeta's eyes rebounded between the two. Shrugging his shoulders, he said, "Ah, hell. Count me in, too." He slugged down the harsh liquor, plucked a lemon from the bowl and after extracting the juice, tossed the rind aside. "What's the plan, Gale?"

Gale's eyes gleamed and he leaned forward, whispering conspiratorially. The other two occupants listened, eyes wide, as he elaborated on the hastily constructed plan. Drinks were consumed and details negotiated. Finally, the waitress forced all three into a taxi for the ride home. Tomorrow, Operation Lovestruck went into full effect. Those girls would never know what hit them.

End Part 8


	9. Bring on the Rain

 

 

## Chapter 9: Bring on the Rain

She came back to consciousness slowly; the fog enveloping her brain refused to be burnt off in the unforgiving morning light. She didn’t know which was worse: her pounding head or her protesting stomach. Either way, it meant that today was going to be hell. Wishing she could just curl back up and hide until the sun came back up, Katniss hugged her pillow a little tighter and willed oblivion to return for just five more minutes.

She didn’t know what had possessed them to drink until none were quite able to stand. What began as an ad-hoc girl’s night out had quickly spun into something completely different. Johanna, with a little more courage thanks to a bottle of Jack Daniels, began asking questions that Katniss didn’t want to answer. Johanna had finally exploded, “Katniss, you know I love you, but enough is enough. Gale can’t take any more of this. He worries more about you than himself. He was sick when he saw you yesterday. He almost broke down. Katniss, I can’t help you and I can’t help him if you don’t let me in. Now, what the hell is going on with you?” 

The previous night:

Johanna burst out laughing at the mental image of Katniss and Finnick cruising some poor girl’s neighborhood. “I would love to hear that story another time. That is not why I need your help. Gale has abandoned me for the evening and I refuse to go home alone. You must keep me entertained. It’s your duty as my friend.”

Katniss groaned. Just as she suspected. So much for a quiet evening at home. “Fine,” She mumbled. “But I’m not going out. You can come home with me if you want. I don’t know how exciting it will be for you but it’s better than nothing.”

Johanna cheerfully agreed and swung herself into the Jeep’s passenger seat. Katniss had put the car in reverse when Johanna announced, “Annie is coming over, too. She was pretty upset when I ran into her earlier. I told her to meet us at your place in an hour. So if you don’t have provisions, we need to stop for liquor and snacks.”

Katniss didn’t bother to voice any objection. She knew a losing battle when she saw it. “Fine,” she groused. “Snacks and liquor it is. What has Annie upset?”

Johanna shrugged. “Some jerk called her uptight and offered to help her loosen up. She’s furious. I’m surprised she didn’t smack the guy. Annie’s got something of a temper when you get her riled.”

Katniss laughed. “Sounds like something Finnick would say. Guess it’s a good thing he wasn’t around or he would be the one offering. Heaven help us if that ever happens.” Johanna chuckled, nodding her head in agreement. Those two together would be like gas with a match lit. Kaboom!

They stopped at the local liquor store and quickly perused the aisles. “Hello, my friend,” Johanna cooed, scooping up a fifth of Jack Daniels. “Let’s get the party started off right.” Katniss shook her head, debating whether or not to remind Johanna that they had to work tomorrow. Giving it up as a useless endeavor, Katniss eyed the display and pulled out a bottle of Bacardi white rum. She already had the Cokes at home so it simplified the choice immensely. Annie, apparently a light drinker, met them at the register with a six pack of some beer that Katniss had never seen. Johanna rolled her eyes, “You’ve got to be kidding me, Annie. Why not run over to Walgreens and pick up some Nyquil for all the good that will do you.” Annie shook her head, face flushing, and Johanna, resigned, picked up another Jack Daniels bottle. “Give me some time to work on you. I bet I can make you change your mind.” Katniss couldn’t help but grin at the slightly terrified looks Annie gave her as they paid for their purchases.

The stereo was up high enough that Katniss feared the landlord would be knocking any minute. Bottles littered her coffee table and several half-eaten pizzas lay abandoned. Katniss had cut up a few bowls of fruit that Johanna had promptly doused in the dregs of rum. She swore that it was an old recipe she learned at college, but no one seemed willing to try it. Johanna shrugged, “All the more for me then,” and promptly wandered out on the deck with bowl and spoon in hand. Katniss examined the alarmingly low level of liquid in her glass and charged after her with another spoon. In fruit salad or in a glass mixed with Coke, it didn’t matter. She wasn’t quite finished yet.

Annie had finally been coaxed into splitting Johanna’s Jack Daniels stash and was well on her way to an atrocious hangover come morning. The subject of the office was inevitably broached and Annie began muttering about “the pompous ass” and “too arrogant and conceited to be believed.” Katniss and Johanna eyed her in a shocked fashion, having never heard the petite brunette curse.

“Is this about that jerk who called you uptight?” Johanna smirked.

Annie glared and tossed back another healthy swallow of her drink then spat, “Yeah, he’s a jerk all right. I suppose that I should fall at his feet and worship him for noticing me, much less offering to help me out so politely. Arrogant ass. He parades around like he is the Patron saint of therapy and then has the gall to tell me that I’m stressed. I should have bashed his head in with those damned post-it notes. That definitely would have relieved some of my tension.”

Katniss bit her lip to keep from bursting into laughter. The idea of Annie physically hitting someone was a little more than her inebriated brain could process at this moment. “Is it a state secret or are you going to fess up? Who pissed you off so badly? Strictly so I can get the workman’s comp paperwork started. Someone’s got to help Haymitch keep on top of these things, after all.”

“Haymitch already knows. He stood there and watched the whole thing.” Annie growled. “If you must know, it’s bloody Finnick Odair. He can’t be bothered to fill out a simple form or say, ‘Hey, Annie, I switched session 7 and session 4. Just wanted you to know.’ Oh no, that would be too difficult. He sticks a post-it to my computer monitor and thinks that everything is just peachy. I go in to my next one-on-one completely unaware and end up looking like an idiot. When I confronted him, he told me that I needed to loosen up and that he was at my service if I required any help. Moron. Like I would stoop so low.”

Johanna cackled and Katniss had to hide a smile behind the rim of her glass. “I wouldn’t take it personal, Annie. He probably did think he was just being helpful. You know how Finnick is. He’s like the obnoxious brother that you wish you were never blessed with. He has a good heart. He just tries to hide it behind that ‘devil may care’ persona that he adopts. Maybe you should take him up on it?” Katniss hinted, sharing a smile with Johanna.

If they thought her cheeks were red before, it was nothing compared to the glowing inferno that was Annie Cresta’s face. Bingo, Katniss thought. That should get her thinking. Not realizing the irony of the situation, Katniss quietly commented, “Most of it is an act. He’s a lot more vulnerable than he lets on. He wears his heart on his sleeve. Just saying, Annie, but you could do a lot worse.” Johanna eyed Katniss in disbelief. Could this possibly be the same girl who had broken down so completely just twenty four hours ago when faced with a similar situation?

Annie slowly regained control of her features and sipped her drink thoughtfully. Finally, she spoke, “Even if that were true, he considers me to be a rigid control freak. Not to mention that I yelled at him like a banshee. He’s probably still trying to regain his hearing.” She smiled ruefully. “I tend to get vocal when upset. I was definitely upset.”

“You might be surprised,” Johanna interjected. “If nothing else, maybe you should take his advice and loosen up. So the schedule got changed. You were still able to be flexible and work through it. Maybe that’s what you need to do to get Finnick’s mind off your little tantrum. Be flexible.” Her obvious smirk pointed up that she meant the sentiment about more than just work processes. Annie’s cheeks flamed again but the thoughtful expression gave her away. Katniss and Johanna shared a grin. It was definitely going to be entertaining around the office in the weeks to come.

Johanna, however, was not one to leave such an obvious stone unturned since the conversation gave her such a fantastic opening. “It’s good that you can give Annie such fine relationship advice, Katniss. Maybe you should take notes because it’s something that you also need to hear.” Katniss’ face lost all expression and her eyes seemed to haze over. “You have a perfectly fine specimen of manhood completely willing to be at your beck and call. And yet, you insist on throwing the opportunity away with both hands. A fine catch like Peeta Mellark doesn’t wander in off the street every day. You should stake your claim before someone else does.”

Katniss’ eyes shot sparks and she grated, “Drop it, Jo. You don’t know what you’re talking about. Besides, Peeta Mellark is perfectly capable of finding his own companionship. He doesn’t need you to recruit for him.”

Johanna finally exploded, “Katniss, you know I love you, but enough is enough. Gale can’t take any more of this. He worries more about you than himself. He was sick when he saw you yesterday. He almost broke down. Katniss, I can’t help you and I can’t help him if you don’t let me in. Now, what the hell is going on with you?”

Katniss closed her eyes, fists clenched as she fought the black chasm in her chest that threatened to consume her once again. Johanna’s words cut her more than she wanted to admit. Gale was her best friend. He had been beside her through the most difficult times in her life. She couldn’t face the fact that her misery was causing him pain. He deserved all the happiness in the world. He deserved to enjoy time with the woman he loved instead of worrying about her. She owed him that much. She owed Johanna the truth. So, haltingly and quietly, the whole story came out. Ryder and her father. The engagement and clandestine wedding that never occurred because he was lost. And without him, she was lost. Her anchor had been swept away and the tide of grief took her under. It was only because Gale had stood behind her and supported her that she was able to breach the surface and get back on her feet. By the time she finished, all three faces were soaked in tears. The two pulled her into their embrace, whispering that she wasn’t alone. That they were there. That it was okay.

Katniss felt something let go. She felt lighter and more at ease. The act of releasing all the pent up emotions soothed her and left an uneasy peace in their place. It wasn’t completely gone, but it was smaller. More manageable. She didn’t feel like a black hole was sucking up everything good and bright in her life anymore. She felt free.

Peeta. She needed to talk to him, see him smile, hear his laugh. Johanna had been more right than she knew. “Katniss, it’s not about what you’ve lost or what you will lose. You can’t exist in a vacuum. To be happy, you have to need. Wanting is good. It’s healthy. It shows that you’re still a functioning human being. But there are some things that you need. Those are what you should look for. And when you find them, you grab on and don’t ever let go.” Johanna smoothed her hair back, smiling softly. “You’re a smart girl. You don’t need me to tell you what you already know. So grab happiness while you can and fight like hell to keep it. That’s the only life worth living.” Her eyes flitted from Katniss to Annie. “Now I’m done being serious. Where’s my drink?” 

Katniss rolled out of bed, her stomach still protesting with every step that this was not a good idea. She staggered into the bathroom, washed her face, and downed some ibuprofen. Feeling a little more human, she pulled on a clean shirt and jeans and headed for the office. Afterward, she would go see Peeta. She hoped that the three month deal was still on the table. She hoped. Katniss smiled at the irony. Who would have thought salvation lay at the bottom of a rum bottle? Finnick, she thought, would appreciate that humor. 

“Are you really sure that this is the best plan we could come up with?” Finnick huffed as he maneuvered the cabinet into place. “If we’re doing all this work for nothing, then this is just a stupid waste of time.”

Gale scowled at the redhead on the opposite end of the cabinet. “You didn’t think this was such a mistake last night. As the matter of fact, you said I was a genius.”

Finnick gave the filing cabinet a final shove and straightened, twisting from side-to-side to stretch the aching muscles in his back. He winced as the dull ache in his temples reminded him of their festivities from the night before. “I was drunk last night, Gale. Plastered. Shit faced, I believe it is still called in some areas. I could have been convinced of anything, even the fact that you are a genius.” Gale shot him a sour look and gave the cabinet a final kick for good measure.

“Don’t blame me. You’re the one who picked a whack job control freak with OCD issues. Trust me. This is the best way to gain her trust. You’re the one who suggested it. Beguile her, you said. Give her a result that will gratify her more than her old habits, you said.” Gale slammed a fist on the cabinet top. “This way, she thinks she won. You’re doing things her way. You are willing to compromise. She won’t be able to resist. Then, you can do what you do best and agitate the hell out of her. It’s golden.”

Finnick’s expression shifted from annoyed to thoughtful. “You might be on to something there, Gale. This could actually work. I’m glad that I thought of it.” He grinned suddenly. “It will once again prove that my brilliance is unmatched when it comes to the psyche of the more fair sex.” Gale snorted and Finnick grinned. “If nothing else, the sheer shock value alone will be worth all the trouble this has been.”

Gale shot him a vexed glare. “Tell that to my aching head. I had no intentions of getting wasted and then rising at the crack of dawn to move furniture and color code files.”

Finnick clasped him on the back. “You are a man among men, good sir. You are suffering for the greater good and Fate will reward you.”

Gale rolled his eyes, “Right now, I would settle for a Tylenol and a cup of coffee.”

“I knew that I liked you for a reason. It’s easy to figure out why when you make sensible suggestions like that one,” Finnick affirmed. “Do you think Peeta can handle his part without our help?”

Gale shrugged, “He doesn’t need a wingman. His is strictly a solo mission. God help him though. I would rather move furniture than take that one on.” Finnick agreed with him whole-heartedly. 

Annie Cresta’s head hurt. Her eyes and mouth both felt like they had been coated in cotton. She silently cursed Johanna Mason and her damned whiskey. Her brain was still wrapped in an alcohol-induced haze and she just knew that she should have just stayed in bed. If she had done what she wished, she still could have been cuddled up to her pillow and not here.

She wouldn’t be looking at the unfamiliar confines of her cubicle listening to Effie Trinket’s droning explanation of why her area was not how she had left it. It was immaculate. The desk top shined. A snowy appointment calendar held court in the center of the shining surface. Small notations showed where her schedule had been meticulously copied. A brand new filing cabinet sat magnificently in the corner with drawers labeled and all of the files carefully arranged within. A shelf conveniently situated just above head height held all of her binders and texts. There was even a desk organizer with multiple compartments which held her pens, clips, and bands. Annie was dumbfounded.

“The new folder on your desktop will be updated automatically with the group working notes. Since it updates when Mr. Odair types his written notes into the database, it will always be current. There is also a notification which will prompt you whenever there is any deviation from the regular schedule. If you are unsure how the workbook functions, I can arrange for an IT person to meet with you,” Effie trilled.

“That won’t be necessary, Effie. Thank you.” Annie breathed, running a finger over the immaculate surface. “Who did this? Haymitch didn’t mention it to me. I didn’t even requisition anything.”

Effie smiled as if she knew a secret. “It wasn’t Haymitch, dear. He did approve the requisition and the software changes though. I am not privy to who did make the changes for you, but I was assured that it would make your day-to-day activities more manageable. I must say that I do approve. The more organized the better, I always say.”

Spotting a yellow corner sticking out from below the keyboard, Annie gave Effie another vague thank you and then swiftly extricated the yellow slip. She flipped it over and couldn’t help but smile.

“Forgive me yet?” was written on a yellow post-it in a haphazard masculine scrawl.

Well, well. Maybe Johanna and Katniss were on to something. It appeared there really was more to Finnick Odair than met the eye. 

Sae gave Katniss a welcoming smile when she entered the office. “How are you today, honey?” she questioned. “I was wondering when I would see your pretty face again.”

Katniss’ lips edged up. “I’m happy to see you again. It was very nice of you to treat us to dinner the other night. You must allow me to return the favor some time.”

Sae shook her head, “No need for that now. I’ve fed that boy and his friends for most of his life. See no reason to change that now. You need to see him, honey?”

Katniss nodded and held up a manila folder. “I was told to drop this off for him today. If he’s busy, I can come back later.”

“Nonsense. He’s got somebody in with him right now but they should be just about finished. Why don’t you just go on in?” Sae gestured toward the closed door.

“You sure it’s okay? I wouldn’t want to interrupt anything,” Katniss demurred. At Sae’s reassuring nod, she knocked softly before entering. And came to an abrupt halt with her jaw half open.

Peeta looked up as the door opened a slight frown of annoyance on his face. When his gaze met hers, he smiled slightly and gestured for her to enter. She stood frozen, eyes on the other occupant of the office and Peeta frowned as he made quick introductions. “Come on in. We were just about finished. Katniss Everdeen, this is a colleague of mine, Cinna Flickerman. She’s helping me with our new account. Cinna, this is Katniss. She is involved in the program that Prim is taking part in. She’s been quite helpful.”

Katniss nodded politely, feeling completely out of place. Cinna regarded her with some amusement and made a non-committal noise which she supposed was a greeting of some sorts, then turned her attention back to Peeta. “Shall I come back later to get this finished up or does your friend mind waiting?” Katniss gestured for them to continue and took a seat in the small lounge area situated across the room from the desk and drafting table. She flipped through an out of date magazine and watched the two out of the corner of her eye.

Cinna was striking. Tall with dark eyes and chocolate tresses perfectly styled, she sported a burgundy tailored suit that accentuated her considerable assets. Katniss felt positively dowdy in her pullover and jeans. She toyed with the tail end of her braid and tried to avoid looking at the pair bent over a sheath of indecipherable drawings. The other woman’s face was perfectly made up; her eyes beautifully accented with a bronze-gold liner that made them appear huge in her heart-shaped face. Cursing both the hangover which caused her to neglect attempts at a face this morning and her sudden inclination to come see him, Katniss shifted on her seat and tried unsuccessfully to focus on the magazine she was clutching so tightly.

They stood, heads practically touching as their fingers traced the lines on the paper in front of them. One delicately painted hand rested comfortably on Peeta’s shoulder and a tinkling laugh greeted some remark that he made. Finally, the two straightened and the reams of paper were gathered up. “So, it’s still on for tonight then,” Cinna purred, her fingers catching his sleeve and tugging playfully.

“Absolutely. All the arrangements have been made. I’ll be no later than seven,” Peeta replied.

Cinna smiled brilliantly and reached up to place a peck on his cheek. “Excellent. I’ll be ready by then.” With a last flick of his collar, she sauntered to the door and tossed back, “It was nice to meet you, Denise. See you later, Peeta.”

Katniss’ eyes shot gray flames as the brunette slithered out of the office. She hastily unclenched her hands from the magazine and grabbed the folder. “Effie Trinket sent over the last of the spreadsheets that you requested. I told her that I would drop them by.” She waved the file in his general direction and jumped when he grabbed it rather than be struck in the face. “Prim told me to remind you that her first call will be later tonight. Probably around eight, so don’t miss it.”

She dusted her hands off on her jeans as if cleaning them and nodded hastily as she headed for the door. “Wait,” Peeta called. “Is that the only reason you stopped by?”

She hovered in the doorway for a second, her expression uncertain. “No, it wasn’t. But the other reason is not important. Sorry to have barged in on you.” Her gaze flickered to the door again. “You have plans, so I’ll be going.”

“Plans? What are you talking about?” he protested but she had already opened the door and practically sprinted across the outer office. “Katniss, wait!” he shouted but she had already cleared the other door and was out of sight. Shaking his head in confusion, Peeta stepped back into his office and eyed Sae as she watched the whole scene, laughing quietly. “What was that all about?” she questioned.

“I don’t know,” he grated. “She acted strangely from the moment she came in. She practically threw that file at me and then ran out. I don’t understand it.”

Sae rolled her eyes and grinned knowingly, “Did you get the chance to invite her to our picnic? Cinna said that both she and Darius will be attending. I’m glad they’re taking time out from their wedding plans to be sociable. Cinna could definitely use a break. That girl works too hard.”

Peeta shook his head. “I never got the chance to mention the picnic to her. Like I said, she threw the file at me and ran.” He paused, “You don’t suppose that Katniss thinks there’s something going on between me and Cinna, do you?”

Sae nodded, her eyes twinkling. “Boy, that girl didn’t run out of here because she suddenly felt like exercising. You need to go after her and clear this up.”

Peeta threw the file onto her desk and grabbed his keys and phone. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. The revised numbers are on my desk. Make sure that they get to accounting before you leave today.” He paused in the doorway and met her eyes, his expression suddenly vulnerable. “How can I fix this? Why won’t she trust me?”

Sae sighed and patted his shoulder. “That one’s been hurt, Peeta. You can see it if you look closely. She wants to trust you, but she don’t trust herself yet. My guess is she feels like she don’t deserve you. You’ll have to convince her that she does. It won’t be easy.”

He smiled sadly, “No, it won’t.” His eyes took on a faraway gleam as memories of a moonlit rooftop swept over him. “But it will be worth it. More than worth it,” he said again for emphasis and strolled out the door.

Sae smiled and nodded her head. Those two were in for a long hard road. But if Sae was a betting woman, her money would be on Peeta. Once he put his mind to something, he didn’t stop until the goal was reached. This was no different. He would go above and beyond for those he loved. She had seen it before. The girl would put up a fight. But Peeta would prevail in the end. He always did. Always.

End Part 9

 


	10. Chapter 10

 

## Chapter 10: Roses in the Snow

There was a certain beauty in something so terrible. Only those with an artist’s eye could appreciate it. Push aside the pain and misery and marvel at the sublime simplicity of color and form. Cast in ruby red against a field of pure white. A fan, a river, a flood. They bloomed in ever expanding rings, bold and raw in the center and fading to an unassuming brown-tinged edge. Roses blooming in the snow. They snaked out in coarse lines and hollows, etching paths and flaring runs. Beads swelling into pearls before drawing out into crimson tears. A pattern with no order or purpose. A portrait drawn in muffled screams. What a pity that she alone was there to wonder at the masterpiece which marked her passing. 

She stood with head thrown back and eyes closed, letting the wind blow the loose strands of her hair where it would. This refuge was the only place where she could find peace. With only the water and the tinkling chimes to keep her company, she could drop all pretenses and let herself feel. Katniss clasped her hands behind her back and strolled aimlessly over the gravel walkways. Her fingers skimmed the back of the bench, playing idly over the weathered wood. Here. In this spot. Right here, for a brief moment, she had been alive again. Alive. She wanted to cling to that feeling, take it inside herself and protect it. Multiply it until there was no room for anything else.

She bent her head, thoughts and memories tumbling and intertwining. Crunching gravel interrupted her reverie and her glance swung up to catch on azure blue. She blinked, thinking for a moment that she had conjured him from thin air and wishful thinking. He walked easily, giving her every opportunity to accept his presence or bolt. Her breath hitched, a shuddering protest, but she stood her ground. Their eyes locked; neither demanded nor questioned, just let the silence enfold them.

Characteristically, Peeta was the first to break it. “I knew that you would come here. It was only a matter of time.”

She bit her lip, giving him an oblique look. “It’s not that big a mystery. I told you this was my special place. I come here often to clear my head.”

Peeta settled onto the bench, “The real question is why you felt the need to clear your head in the first place. Is something wrong?” She shook her head, eyes rising to the horizon. “Katniss, please. I need to know.”

“What exactly do you need to know?” she seethed. “You want to hear that I came to apologize? You want to hear that the other night was the best time I’ve had in ages?” She stepped closer, poking him in the chest repeatedly. “You want to hear that I felt like punching your little arm decoration in the face today? Fine, consider it said. Now leave me alone.”

His eyes got progressively wider with each declaration. She stalked away from him, her loose hair whipping across his cheek. An unbidden smile bloomed on his face. “You’re wrong, you know,” he remarked to her stiff back. Her gaze came warily back to his. “About Cinna and me. You’re wrong.” Her eyes plainly displayed her disbelief. “Cinna is a co-worker. More importantly though, Cinna is engaged to Darius Snow, my former roommate from college.” He grinned at her suddenly red cheeks. “Their wedding is in six weeks. I’m the best man at the service. You are included in the invitation for the reception, in case you’re wondering.” A teasing smile played on his lips as the flush spread quickly up to her hair line.

Not about to back down so easily, she retorted, “If that’s the case, what was that about being ready by seven? You obviously had plans with Cinna tonight.”

Peeta rolled his eyes at her caustic tone. “Honestly, Katniss, she was talking about the picnic that Sae sets up for the restaurant. They’ve been working like maniacs lately. They will also be doing most of the catering for Darius and Cinna’s wedding. Sae likes to give everyone the occasional break. I go every year and flip burgers or whatever else needs doing. You were invited to that, too, but never gave me the chance to ask you. Sae likes you. She made it a point to tell me that you needed to be there.”

Katniss shook her head ruefully. Wrong again. Damn it. Why could nothing ever go the way she expected it to? She lost herself in a flood of recriminations and didn’t notice that he had moved closer until his breath feathered her cheek. She had time to give one small squeak of protest before his lips crashed onto hers. Her hands seemed to have a mind of their own as they tangled themselves in the fine hair at the nape of his neck. He groaned, pulling her more tightly against him, his hand holding her head firmly in place. She didn’t know how long they stood, mouths fighting for dominance and arms clasped tightly around each other. She came up for air only because his lips had found a new pastime, sliding down her throat and nibbling the place where her pulse pounded madly.

“What are you doing?” she asked breathily, tilting her head to give him better access.

He smiled against her and pushed the loose hair out of his way as he continued to explore the curve where neck met shoulder. “What does it look like, silly? I’m agitating you, of course.” His breath puffed into her ear as his lips skimmed it, causing her to shiver. “That should be obvious.”

“Agitating me?” She pulled away in confusion. “What the hell does that mean?”

Peeta laughed at her disgruntled expression. “Your friend, Finnick, explained it much better than I ever could. Maybe you should ask him.” He dropped teasing kisses over her eyes and down her cheek before claiming her mouth once more. Pressing into her as much as he dared, Peeta reveled in her response. Their previous kisses were a brief snippet of breath and pressure, done almost before they began. These filled him up like fire, singeing his nerve endings to the breaking point and then pushing beyond until nothing existed but the connection of her mouth on his.

She pulled back, breath ragged and eyes wide with amazement. Her hand reached up to tentatively trace his jawline from eyebrow to chin. He stood quietly as she touched him, letting her explore at her leisure. His lips quirked into a half smile as she grasped his chin, turning his head this way and that. He was surprised when she rose up on tip toe and gave him one last lingering kiss before stepping out of his encircling arms. “I should warn you about taking relationship advice from Finnick. He is a natural disaster when it comes to the opposite sex. Trust me. Whatever he said, make sure that you do the opposite. You’ll be safer that way.”

He reached for her hand, delighted when she not only grasped his but twined their fingers together. Reclining back on the bench, he pulled her in until her back rested against his chest, arm wrapped tight about her waist. “Tell you what, I won’t ask Finnick for any more advice if you agree to stop running away from me. If you want to know something, just ask me, Katniss. I won’t lie to you. I’m not going anywhere. Remember?”

She let out a relieved breath, unaware of the tension leaving her back and shoulders. She relaxed further against him, watching the last rays of the sun turn the clouds to fire. He absently twisted her hair around his fingers, separating the strands and then deftly coiling them into smaller versions of her signature braid. She glanced back at him, smiling slightly and asked quietly, “You like being here with me. Real or not real?”

“Real,” he retorted, pulling her back and kissing her forehead softly. “Definitely real. I could stay right here and be happy always.”

“I seriously doubt that,” she grinned. “It can’t be blue skies and sunshine all the time. We’d fight eventually.”

Peeta raised his gaze heavenward, “So much for trying to have a romantic moment. Katniss, you really are a piece of work, you know that.”

“I know,” she said with an amused quirk to her lips. “But I don’t think you’d have me any other way.” Well, when she put it that way. “Besides,” she remarked, “Didn’t you say something about a picnic?”

“I’ve been rejected for an egg salad sandwich,” he intoned gloomily. “Good thing my ego’s not tied up in this.”

“Never for egg salad." She patted his arm with mock sweetness. “The raspberry tortes, on the other hand, could definitely give you a run for your money.” They walked hand-in-hand toward the elevator. She was interrupted by the insistent buzzing of her cell phone. Pulling it out of her pocket, she noted that it was from the Better Way exchange. “I’ve got to take this. Why don’t you go on down? I’ll find out what’s going on, stop by my apartment to grab my keys, and then meet you downstairs. Ten minutes?” He agreed and with one final brief peck, stepped into the open elevator. His blue eyes glowed and he tossed her a teasing grin before the doors slid shut.

She flipped open her cell, “Katniss Everdeen.” The only answer was a seemingly dead line. She checked the screen to make sure the call hadn’t dropped. It showed the still open connection, so she pushed the receiver a little more firmly against her jaw line and clearly enunciated, “Hello, Katniss Everdeen. Can I help you?” She was greeted by a small sniffle and a rustling noise. “Hello. Is anyone there?” she asked yet again, receiving no response. “I guess I lost you,” she stated. “You’ll have to try back.” Her thumb rested on the end button, almost pressing when she heard a thin, frantic voice say, “Katniss, are you there? Please don’t hang up. Katniss, please tell me you can hear me.”

Shoving the phone back to her ear, Katniss hurriedly replied, “I can hear you. Who is this?”

More sniffles answered her, then the voice came again even more quietly than before. “Katniss, its Prim. Can you hear me?”

“Prim, I can hear you. What’s going on? What’s wrong?” Butterflies tossed in her belly again. This wasn’t the same fluttering anticipation from the other night. This was cold coils of dread which wound their way throughout her chest. “Prim, what is it? Please answer.”

The voice came through, muffled but understandable. “I’m at the ward station over in your friend Gale’s section. I really need you to come now. Please.”

Katniss almost asked for a more thorough explanation but the girl was too agitated to question over the phone. “Okay, Prim, I’m on my way. Peeta’s here. Do you want me to bring him, too?”

Prim gave a pained gasp and lowered her voice even more. “No. No. Don’t bring him. Don’t bring anybody. Just come as soon as you can. Please.” Katniss assured her she was on the way and bypassed the elevator to run headlong down the stairs. She grabbed her keys and backpack and swiftly made her way to the downstairs lot.

Peeta stood waiting beside a low slung black Mercedes SLK. As she appeared, he grinned and went around to the passenger side and opened her door. She couldn’t help but smile back at his antics. She shifted her bag to the opposite shoulder and regretfully shook her head, “Something’s come up. I have to handle some work stuff. I’ll go get it taken care of and then meet you at the Mockingbird for the picnic, okay.”

He frowned at the change of plans. “Can’t I just take you there and then we can go on to the picnic once you’re done?”

She shook her head. “I won’t have you sitting in the car waiting for me when I don’t know exactly how long this will take. Just go on ahead. I’ll meet you as soon as I’m done. I promise.”

He nodded solemnly and a mischievous spark suddenly danced in his eyes, “Okay, I believe you. But you have to do one thing for me before I go.” She looked at him questioningly. He held up one hand, pinkie extended. “Pinkie swear that you will come. I’m not leaving until you do.”

She laughed at the completely ridiculous suggestion but obediently hooked a pinkie around his and intoned as seriously as she was able, “I promise that I will come to the picnic.” A childish impulse prompted her to add, “Cross my heart. Hope to die. Stick a needle in my eye.” She pulled their hands tight and kissed him briefly on the chin. He tossed her another playful grin and climbed in his car. She watched him drive away before running like hell toward her Jeep. She didn’t know what was going on but she was definitely going to haul ass to find out. 

The basement was dank and dark. Prim crept down the hallway, trying and failing to keep her steps as silent as possible. She had stayed close to Rue throughout the day, trying to camouflage the extent of her injuries from the others. The only one to ask any questions was the tall dark-haired instructor called Gale who had run the archery class instead of Katniss today. Rue couldn’t pull back the bow with her sore ribs. Gale had clearly noted that she was favoring her side and ribs. Before he could question them, Enobaria had yelled out a question from the target area which required him to step away.

By the time he returned, Prim had taken the weapon and was moving into position to fire. He glanced between the two girls, and then made a few comments about her stance and hand position. He watched her shoot, nodded approvingly, and then turned his attention back to the rest of the group. Rue nodded and gave her a half smile in thanks. Prim returned the nod and nocked another arrow. She shifted her feet, maneuvered her fingers until they splayed out like Katniss had demonstrated, pulled back and then let the arrow go. It struck the target low and left of the center. Gale applauded her efforts and advised that she had pulled the bow upon release. He demonstrated the breathing method that worked best for timing and a steady hand. Duplicating her stance, Prim let another arrow fly and this time hit the zone dead center. She grinned in pleasure, taking a little bow when some of the others clapped in admiration. The two girls sidled off and once class was dismissed, made a straight line back to the dormitory.

Prim had made as if to go to the showers after the hot afternoon activities. Rue watched as she gathered up her supplies and gave a little wave as she went out the door. Prim walked as far as the nearest cross corridor and waited. Sure enough, within five minutes of Prim’s leaving, Clove came to the door and ushered a resigned Rue out with her. Prim couldn’t understand why she went so willingly, especially after they had hurt her. She decided that it wasn’t going to happen again. She would follow them and as soon as things started to go downhill, she would create a distraction and hopefully get them to leave Rue alone.

They headed toward the lower levels of the building. Prim had never been in this area of the dormitory before. She glanced around, looking for a landmark and soon spotted a first-aid/medic station and a counselor’s office. The signs were regular enough that she was able to follow discreetly but still mentally tag enough areas to give her a good idea of how to get back. Clove led Rue to a small inset door and pushed her through first before entering herself. Prim crept close enough to hear what was happening but hopefully far enough back to not be easily observed.

Two other voices immediately spoke up when the twosome entered. Prim noted that one was Enobaria. The other wasn’t the Glimmer girl as expected, but masculine and deep. Prim couldn’t get close enough to see if his face was familiar. She made careful note of his voice so that if she ever heard him speak, it would be easy to pick him out. She could only understand what they were saying in one word snippets: “tribute, sister, Cray, and initiation.” She didn’t know what any of it meant. She listened as carefully as she could, trying desperately to place the male voice. She jumped when the first echoing smack came through the door. A brief crash followed by a moan of pain curdled her stomach. There were several more thuds of fist or foot striking flesh immediately accompanied by brief outcries swiftly silenced. Prim was torn between bursting in to try and distract them and running to try and find someone nearby to help her. She was so scared that she could only stand petrified, listening to her friend’s agony.

“You are nothing,” the man’s voice grated. “Worse than useless to keep you around.” He paused and footsteps could be heard pacing back and forth behind the door. “I can’t have a tribute that doesn’t know its place. I should have you killed. That is what you deserve, but it can’t happen now. Too many people would notice you’re gone. Clove here has been looking for some recognition. I have decided that you will provide her opportunity, little tribute. Should your punishment prove her worthy, she will be elevated. Should it not be? Well, there is always another looking for enlightenment.”

Prim pressed as close to the door as she could, desperately wishing she had the courage to just open it. She was able to spot Clove through the crack, eyes alight with excitement, bending over Rue’s prone form. She held something in her hand that Prim couldn’t see but Rue flinched back from it, terror starkly reflected on her face. The shirt was pushed away and Clove bent over Rue’s stomach. Prim’s hand flew toward her mouth to stifle a scream as a thick stream of blood pooled in the white material of the shirt. Rue’s thin wall was brutally silenced as a black boot struck her hard across the temple. She slumped down, unconscious. Clove, however, didn’t look up from whatever her task was. Finally, the man’s voice was heard, laughter in the tone, saying “Good. Good. Cray will be pleased.” Prim carefully slid behind two filing cabinets and watched as Enobaria, Clove, and an almost familiar blond head made their way to the stairs. She waited an extra couple of minutes to make sure that they weren’t coming back. She quickly made her way back up the hallway and quietly entered.

She lay there, silent. Still unconscious from the blow to her head, Rue could have been sleeping except for the blood spattered t-shirt that was casually draped over her battered form. Prim crept as close as she could, constantly looking behind her to make sure that the threesome hadn’t returned. Rue’s breathing was shallow and quick. Unsteady fingers confirmed that a pulse still flickered in her wrist. Prim hesitated, nausea violently twisting her stomach as her hand slid into the blood-caked garment. She pushed it up carefully, trying to assess the extent of the damage. Prim removed her pullover, leaving her shivering in the cold, dank air. Carefully, she folded the sleeve and wiped away as much of the blood as she could. She had to furiously bite her lip to keep from screaming when the true scope of the cuts came into view. They were etched with delicate precision. The artist part of Prim’s mind could almost appreciate the surgical refinement of the image that had been engraved into Rue’s stomach. The bird had wings outstretched to full length with an arrow clutched in its claws. The whole image was encircled with a thin frame. The image almost appeared to be on fire, the red flow sweeping and highlighting the stylized form.

She leapt to her feet and ran for the door, mindlessly heading for what her brain told her was the way back to safety. She made no attempt to hide her passing; her only thought was to get to a phone. It was the only thing that she could focus on. She hit the ward station area in a full-out run. Quickly glancing around, she slid under the counter, scooting the phone with her along with the rolodex she found sitting conveniently beside it. She tried Peeta’s number first, dialing swiftly from habit. It went straight to voicemail, causing her to blow out an irritated breath. She dialed home and received the same reply. Thumbing through the rolodex, Prim caught a glimpse of one particular name. She quickly dialed the cell, sending up a frantic prayer that it would be answered.

Prim heard the phone click and a blessedly familiar voice, “Hello, Katniss Everdeen. Can I help you? Hello? Is anyone there?” Prim’s mouth worked but she couldn’t force the sound to come out any louder than a small squeak. Katniss said, “I guess I lost you. You’ll have to call back.” No, Prim screamed silently, I can’t call back! She bit the inside of her cheek hard, and the bolt of pain that came with it acted like a shot of adrenaline. She forced out, “Katniss, are you there? Please don’t hang up. Katniss, please tell me you can hear me.” She almost wept when the voice answered back. “I can hear you. Who is this?” She answered carefully, “Katniss, it’s Prim. Can you hear me?”

“Prim, I can hear you. What’s going on? What’s wrong?” The panic was readily noticeable in Katniss’ voice. “Prim, what is it? Please answer.”

Prim hugged the phone closer to her. “I’m at the ward station over in your friend Gale’s section. I really need you to come now. Please.”

She almost wept when Katniss came back, “Okay, Prim, I’m on my way. Peeta’s here. Do you want me to bring him, too?”

Prim gave a pained gasp and lowered her voice still more. “No. No. Don’t bring him. Don’t bring anybody. Just come as soon as you can. Please.”

Eight minutes later, she heard almost silent footfalls echoing down the hallway. She huddled deeper into the confines of the counter, her heart rampaging in her chest. She was about to make a run for it when she heard, “Prim, it’s me, Katniss. Are you here?” The girl rolled out of the cabinet and threw herself at the confused woman. Katniss caught her in a tight embrace, shocked to feel the slight body trembling violently in her arms. Prim clutched her as tightly as she could, tears running in steady streams down her face. Katniss pulled back slightly and scanned her from head to foot. Her brow furrowed as she noticed the stains on the girl’s clothing and her hands. “Prim, is that blood? Are you hurt? What’s going on?” Katniss asked, her voice climbing in pitch.

The blond head shook viciously. “I’m fine. They didn’t even see me. It’s Rue. Please, you have to help me.” She tugged Katniss by the hand toward the basement access. Katniss followed uneasily, eyes darting much like Prim’s as they made their way down the stairwell. Stopping at a nondescript door, Prim pushed it open and ducked hurriedly inside. Katniss followed and then stopped, her jaw dropping open at the grisly sight before her. Rue laid in a pool of blood, a wadded up shirt staunching most of the flow from her stomach. The white t-shirt she wore was soaked at the hem, red painting lines across her belly creating a puddle on the floor beside her. Katniss could see the remains of severe bruising. The purple and green tinted spots flared all the more brightly in the dim light, framed haphazardly in wavering lines of red.

“Oh my God,” Katniss breathed out. “Prim, who did this? Is she dead?” Katniss slid her fingers around the blood smeared wrists and felt a pulse beating steadily in the girl’s wrist. Her breathing sounded thready and thin. Her gaze shifted to the waif like girl who was watching the examination with grief laden eyes. “Tell me the truth. Are you hurt? Did they touch you at all?” The blond head shook and a breathy “no” sounded in the dark. “Did you see who did this?”

Prim nodded, “Clove cut her. Enobaria slapped her this time and the time before. I didn’t see who the man was but he kicked her in her head. Glimmer was involved last time. I think they’re going to kill her, Katniss. We have to do something.”

Katniss’ head reeled at the thoughts. She quietly cursed herself for not seeing any of the signs. “Okay,” she stuttered, visibly shaken but trying to maintain a calm demeanor. “We need to contact the paramedics and the cops. Haymitch will have to be notified.”

Prim violently shook her head, cutting off Katniss’ speech. “We can’t. They can’t even know that I called you. They said they would hurt her and me if they found out that we had filed a complaint or told what they were doing. I don’t know who the man was. He mentioned something about an initiation for Clove. We can’t tell or they will kill her. We have to find another way.”

Katniss was in shock. The fact that this was going on within their group was bad enough. To have it going on for several days in the midst of the whole Better Way staff was incomprehensible. The girl’s china blue eyes were glazed and staring. She was clearly terrified. She really believed if she told, there would be dire consequences not only for herself, but a girl she had only met five days ago. Katniss felt a wave of affection sweep over her. Prim was definitely Peeta’s sister. It was written all over her. She, like him, gave without question. She had risked everything in the vague attempt that she could keep an innocent girl from enduring outright torture. “Okay, Prim. Let me get Annie down here. She’s a trained medic. She’ll be able to assess Rue and let us know what further action we need to take. She’ll keep it quiet, I promise.” Prim gave her a look of awed relief and swiped at the tears still rolling down her cheeks. “In the meantime, we need to figure out where to go after Annie looks her over. She’s not safe here and neither are you.”

Prim whispered, “Can we stay with you or go home? Peeta would let her stay. I know he would. We have to keep her safe, Katniss. I promised. Please call Peeta. He’ll know what to do.” The girl’s eyes flickered from Katniss to her friend and her hand smoothed the dark hair away from Rue’s closed eyes. “I promised her that I would help her. I can’t let her down.”

Katniss opened her arms to the younger girl and Prim readily entered them. She held her tightly, head tucked into the open space between her shoulder and jaw. Prim slipped her arms around Katniss’ waist and squeezed as tightly as her arms would close. Katniss kissed her forehead, rocking slightly, and pushed the blond hair back out of her eyes. “You will keep that promise. I told you that I would help you with anything. I meant that. We will keep her safe. I promise you that.” Katniss’ eyes found the tiny battered form and she felt her own tears begin to slide down into the blond head nestled in her neck. Slipping out her cell phone, Katniss made the hardest phone call of her life.

There was a brief flicker of connection. “This is Peeta.” She swallowed roughly, tears streaming and choked out, “Peeta, it’s Katniss. I need you to come now. Yes, right now. No, it’s not all right. I’ll explain when you get here….”

TO BE CONTINUED…

END PART 10

 


	11. God Bless the Broken Road

 

## Chapter 11: God Bless the Broken Road

Slipping out her cell phone, Katniss made the hardest phone call of her life. There was a brief flicker of connection. “This is Peeta.” She swallowed roughly, tears streaming and choked out, “Peeta, its Katniss. I need you to come now. Yes, right now. No, it’s not all right. I’ll explain when you get here….”

Something in her voice caused the little hairs on the back of his neck to rise up. He had heard many things in Katniss’ voice in the short time he had known her, but this was new. There was an edge of panic, a tinge of repressed sadness, and an impending sense of loss. Peeta was aware of the strange looks that he was getting from Cinna and Darius. He lowered his voice and inquired urgently, “Katniss, what’s going on? Are you hurt?”

“Please, Peeta. I can’t go into all that right now. I need you to call Annie, the girl I work with, and tell her to meet us at my house. Tell her it’s important. Then meet me at the back entrance of the Better Way dorms. Please hurry.”

Peeta hurriedly made his excuses to Sae and the rest and bolted for his car. He quickly dialed the number for Annie and impatiently waited until she answered. He introduced himself, explained what he needed, and once she agreed to meet them, he floored the gas. He made the turn into the back lot, narrowly missing the yellow safety railing. His headlights briefly illuminated the back doors and he caught a fleeting glimpse of a huddled form in the breezeway. He parked as close to the building as possible and took the stairs two at a time. She met him at the door, eyes obviously swollen from crying. He reached to take her in his arms, but then stopped as he noticed the dark stains covering her hands and coat.

“Katniss, what is this?” he edged closer, hesitantly fingering the nearest spot on her sleeve. Raising his hand, he panicked when he realized the sticky fluid coating his hand was blood. “What the hell! Are you hurt? Whose is this?”

She shook her head violently. “No, Peeta. It’s not mine. I’m not hurt. I’m okay.” Regardless of the blood staining her hands, he pulled her close and softly touched his lips to her forehead. He could feel her trembling against him and rubbed his hands down her back soothingly. She leaned into him, drawing comfort from his warmth and steadiness. “Did you call Annie?” She sighed at his curt nod. “I need to tell you something. It’s very important that you hear me out before you say anything. Prim called me. She sounded terrified. She begged me to come here tonight. I asked her if she wanted me to bring you since you were there when I took the call. She said no. That’s why I came over here so fast.” She glanced up, catching the dawning panic in his eyes and hurriedly assured him, “She’s okay, too. Scared, but okay. Peeta, I need you to trust me. I don’t have time to go into everything right now, but we have to move.” She grabbed his hand and led him through the labyrinth of corridors. He noticed that her eyes flicked back and forth, consciously checking each crossing and doorway as they wound deeper into the depths of the building. She stopped at a recessed doorway and then paused, looking up at him with beseeching eyes. “I’m not going to lie to you. This is bad. There is a reason that I called you and sent for Annie. I can’t explain right now, but please trust me. Please.” He nodded jerkily and followed her through the door. The sight before him stopped him in his tracks, shock freezing his limbs, his mind unable to process the spectacle being played out.

His baby sister sat beside a smaller, dark-haired girl. Prim was stroking her hair, whispering too softly for him to catch a word. There was red everywhere. Blood encased them both. Prim’s hands were grimy with the clotted mess, her clothes plastered in spots. The smaller girl looked like she had been bathed in it. She lay in a congealing pool, the remains of her shirt showing streaks of white underlying the red-brown stains.

Peeta swung to face Katniss, eyes alight with fury. “What the hell happened here? Did somebody stab her? Is she dead? Why is Prim down here seeing this?” Each statement was flung at her like a bullet. Katniss recoiled from the anger in his face, desperately trying to get a word in around the barrage of questions he continued to fire at her. Surprisingly, it was Prim who came to her rescue.

“She’s not stabbed but they cut her up. Carved her like a fucking turkey,” Prim barked, her tone far from her usual soft chatter. “Stop yelling at her, Peeta. She didn’t know.” Her eyes fell back to the battered form of her friend and her voice broke. “Rue made me promise not to tell. She was afraid that they would hurt us if they were found out.” She smiled bitterly. “They hurt her anyway. I just stood there and let them do it. I didn’t even try to help her.” Her eyes, Peeta noticed, contained a hardness that hadn’t been there before. “All of this for a stupid initiation. It was like learning a secret handshake or a password for a club at school. That’s how they treated it. Then they did this to her. I didn’t know who else to call. Your phone went to voicemail and nobody answered the house line. She’s the only one I could find. You should thank her, not yell at her. Katniss came to help me because I asked her to.”

Peeta’s gaze softened as he took in his little sister and his… well, he didn’t know what she was. It was too soon to put a label on it. Both were looking at him with similar expressions and despite the seriousness of the situation, he couldn’t stop the flood of warmth and affection welling up. They were like sisters, ready to defend the other against any foe. That included him, it seemed. A small smile touched his mouth, and then his brain went to work on how to fix this lousy mess. “I assume that we’re not taking her to the hospital. They will have to file a report and then the shit will hit the fan. So, undercover it is.” Prim and Katniss gave him identical looks of awe and relief. He took off his jacket as his mind furiously plotted and discarded various scenarios. “Okay. I’ll take her with me. She can be put in the back seat so she will be comfortable. Prim, you go with Katniss. You’re not safe here and I want you to be looked at anyway. Once we confirm that she doesn’t have any life threatening injuries, we will come up with a more permanent plan.” Two affirming nods met this announcement.

He carefully picked up the tiny figure, wrapping her securely within the confines of his jacket. The ease with which he climbed to his feet while bearing her weight made him curse. Receiving two questioning glances, he muttered, “She doesn’t even weigh ninety pounds. Did you say there were three of them? Those were some damned fair odds all right. Three against one little girl. The bastards should be shot.” They ghosted through the corridors, Peeta bringing up the rear with his burden while the other two inspected each cross corridor before continuing on. Katniss hurried to his car and had the rear door open by the time he made it to the foot of the steps. He carefully laid Rue down, making sure not to press on her stomach nor dislodge the covering jacket. She had to be kept warm otherwise shock would set in. Once she was safely ensconced inside, Peeta secured the door and pulled his sister into a bone crushing hug. His eyes met Katniss’ over Prim’s head and he reached out one hand, clasping hers tightly even as he pulled Prim closer. Prim shifted, her head coming around to meet Katniss’ gaze. She grabbed the other hand, pulling Katniss into the embrace so that she stood wedged in between brother and sister. It was surreal how they fit together, Prim’s head tucked into Katniss’ shoulder while her own rested comfortably against Peeta’s chest. One more squeeze and then they separated; Peeta going around to the driver’s side, the other two walking swiftly to the Jeep parked just a few spaces over. Katniss glanced back, her eyes seeking his for one instant, and she blew him another kiss. They shared a small smile before he pulled away.

Prim curled up in the passenger seat, shivering in the cool night air. Katniss, seeing this, pulled an extra sweatshirt out of the back seat and ordered, “Put this on before you catch your death.” Shaking her head at the bossy tone, Prim did as instructed and sighed as the warm folds engulfed her chilled skin. “We’ll get you a shower and something to eat as soon as we get home. After that, I want you to go to bed. I already have the spare room made up. No arguments, Prim. Okay?”

“Yes, Mom,” Prim retorted half sarcastically. Katniss shifted her gaze from the road to the blond girl in alarm but laughed softly when she realized Prim was only joking. The rest of the short drive was made in silence.

Peeta had parked close to the building and was shifting impatiently when they finally pulled into the lot. The three soon became four as Annie Cresta met them at the door, medical bag in hand. Her expression morphed into shock and despair as she glimpsed Rue’s face. She looked wildly at Katniss, silently demanding an explanation. Katniss shook her head briefly and Annie scowled, clearly not happy with being forced to wait.

Once inside the apartment, Katniss rapidly directed Peeta to put Rue in the spare bedroom. Annie quickly followed; her bag was already open and she removed various items as she knelt beside the bed to examine the girl. The other three adjourned to the living room to give her some privacy. Katniss went to her closet, extracted an extra t-shirt and pair of shorts, and then sent Prim to take a much needed shower. As the door closed softly behind her, Katniss felt warm arms encircle her waist and leaned back into his chest.

“You’re good with her,” he muttered, his lips softly touching her temple. “She obviously trusts you.”

Katniss shrugged, pulling his arms just a little tighter. Closing her eyes, she let herself relax into his soothing presence. “I just understand her. It’s hard to be fifteen, or twenty-five for that matter. She’s a sweet kid. Kind of like the sister I never had.” She twisted around to catch his gaze. “If something had happened to her, I would never forgive myself.”

“I know,” he murmured. “But nothing did happen. She was very lucky. And I’m grateful that you were there for her. She had to have been terrified.” Katniss nodded against him. “You probably were too, but you helped her anyway. Thank you, Katniss, for everything.”

The sound of the water shutting off signaled Prim’s return, so they separated and were seated on each side of the small dining table when she entered the living area. She took one of the free chairs, thankfully accepting a glass of water, and downed it in one long pull. “So what’s the plan?” she probed. “Am I going home tonight? If so, I want to be back here first thing tomorrow. She will be scared if she wakes up and I’m not there.”

Peeta exchanged a look with Katniss and caught her imperceptible nod. “You stay here for now, Prim. It’s the best place for both of you right now. Why don’t you go get some sleep?”

Katniss interjected, “You can use my room, the last door on the left. There’s a new toothbrush in the cabinet if you need it and extra pillows in the closet.” Prim nodded her thanks and bent to kiss her brother’s cheek. She looked hesitantly at Katniss, who silently held out her arms. Prim went to her willingly, the two women embracing tightly. “Thank you,” Prim whispered. Katniss smoothed the corn silk hair and muttered back, “Anytime, honey.” She released her slowly and gave her a teasing nudge, “Now go get some sleep.”  
Prim grinned at her tone, “You sure are bossy, you know.”

Katniss rolled her eyes, “I know, but what else are big sisters good for if not to boss around little runts like you.” Her eyes popped, realizing what she had just said. She flushed uncomfortably.

Prim exchanged an amused look with Peeta. “Good night then. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” Her footsteps soon faded and a door closed softly behind them.

Peeta took in her awkward expression and sought to distract her. “I gave this some thought on the way over here. I think that I’ve figured out what we can do for the time being.” She gestured for him to continue. “Tomorrow, I’m going to go before Judge Paylor. I will tell her that I’ve been advised by her counselor that the group part of the Better Way program isn’t beneficial for Prim. You will have to back me up. We’ll tell her that we have decided on solitary treatment for the remainder of the ninety day period. You will still be her counselor and confidant since you have a rapport with her. Finnick and Annie will act as her therapists, using the same protocol that Better Way does in the group settings. She will stay here if you’re willing to have her. Our place is too far out and Sae can’t stay with her all the time. She will mostly be here, as long as Rue is, anyway.”

He drew in a deep breath, his expression serious. “We will have to make sure that there is someone always here with them. I figure between us, Finnick, Annie, Gale and Johanna that it would be fairly easy to cover. Do you think they would be willing to work that out?” She nodded. “I will have a talk with Darius about who his friends are in the Crimes Against Persons unit. I will need all the information you have on the three from the group for him. I’ll also see if they can shake loose a few units to up patrols by here nightly. I’d feel better knowing that you were protected.”

“That story covers Prim, but how can I explain Rue’s absence? She doesn’t have anywhere to go for me to work with her on an individual basis.”

Peeta bit his lip, mind working furiously. His eyes suddenly lit up, “She was a street kid, right? We’ll just put the word out that she ran away and is suspected of going back into her old life. That should throw off most of the suspicion.” Katniss nodded briefly. It just might work.

Annie crept into the room, rubbing her eyes and speared Katniss with an implacable look. “That girl needs to be in the hospital. She has three cracked ribs, a concussion, severe bruising and numerous contusions. That doesn’t even count the hatchet job done on her abdomen. I stitched her up as best as I could, packed the rest with antibiotic and liquid bandage. I covered it and bound her ribs as tightly as I could get them. Katniss, what in the world happened? She looks like a refugee.”

Peeta quickly explained the problem and the plan he had come up with for now. Katniss filled in what details she could. By the end, Annie wore the same shocked expression that Peeta had demonstrated earlier, tempered by the knowledge that this had gone beneath the staff’s notice at Better Way. The thought made her physically ill. She agreed at once treat Prim on an individual level and continuing to assess and treat Rue as needed. When told that Finnick would be joining them if he agreed, she flicked an amused gesture at a crumpled post-it tucked into the side pocket of her bag. “Tell him if he doesn’t agree, I’ll never forgive him. That should make him think twice before refusing.” Peeta, unsure of the significance of the post-it but completely aware of the desk project that Gale and Finnick had executed, chuckled and agreed that it should definitely motivate Finnick to join them. Annie bid the pair good night and left, saying that she would stop by before work the next morning to change Rue’s bandages and check on her concussion. She made them promise to wake the girl every two hours and then departed, leaving two very amused individuals behind her.

Their eyes locked again, silently appraising each other. Peeta finally broke the silence, “I’m sorry I yelled at you. I was scared and I just reacted. I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to her.”

Katniss reached up fleetingly to touch his cheek but stayed her hand. “I don’t blame you. I was scared, too. I couldn’t stand it if anything happened to her. She’s my friend, Peeta, almost like a sister. I would never let that happen. Never.”

He smiled softly and grasped her hand between his two. His fingers toyed with the small ring she wore on her pinky. “You called her your sister earlier, you know.” She nodded swiftly, her eyes huge in her face. “I liked that. A lot.”

She leaned into him, her forehead touching his chin. He feathered a light kiss on her brow, and pulled her into his lap. “I should go. It’s late and you need your rest.” Squeezing her close for a brief moment, he uncurled his arms from around her and made to stand. She had other ideas and refused to budge from her seat. “Dare I assume you want me to stay?” he remarked, wrapping her back into a loose hug.

She nodded, gray eyes intent on his face. “It feels safe when you’re here, like nothing can hurt us. I don’t want to be alone, Peeta. Will you stay with me?”

He cuddled her closer to him, encircling her completely in his warmth. She closed her eyes and eased deeper into his embrace. “Will you stay?” she muttered again. She felt a brief puff of air as his lips gently brushed her cheek and temple. Before the world went black, she dimly heard, “Always.”

End Part 11

 


	12. what a tangled web we weave

 

## Chapter 12: What a Tangled Web We Weave

Strong black coffee. Something that smelled of green forests and exotic spice. A gentle thudding underneath her ear. Warm weight across her back and hip. Muffled laughter and whispered comments. This was definitely not her usual morning wake up call. Katniss shifted, gradually regaining consciousness. Pushing a skein of hair away from her face, she raised her head and met five pairs of eyes. Startled, she shifted back and groaned as a hazy pair of blue eyes opened about an inch from her own. He looked confused for a moment, still half asleep as her expression morphed from embarrassment to sheer panic. She wiggled, trying to free herself from his encircling hold but in his bewilderment, he tightened his arms rather than loosening them.

“Let me up,” she hissed as she tried to maneuver her way clear.

“Why? I am pretty comfortable right now,” he returned lazily, all the while keeping his arms locked securely around her waist.

“In case you haven’t noticed, we seem to have attracted an audience,” she spat. “I’m not a fan of public performances. Let me up!”

“No, I don’t believe I will,” he countered. “Not unless you ask me nicely.” This pronouncement was met by chuckles which precipitated her face flushing to the hairline, though he couldn’t tell whether it was from anger or humiliation. Without warning, she stilled and studied him intently. The edges of her lips turned into a slight smile and her body relaxed against his. Peeta watched the abrupt change in her demeanor and felt a tingle of dread curl through his stomach. She had something up her sleeve, he just knew it. He didn’t, however, have any idea what she was apt to do.

“Nicely, you say,” she purred throatily. “Nicely I can do.” She sat up so quickly that he unthinkingly loosened his hold on her. She slid down until one knee rested beside his hip on the couch; the other folded over him and reached toward the floor to steady her precarious perch. She leaned over at the waist, her mouth mere inches from his and questioned softly, “Is this nice enough for you?” He nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving her face as she bent even closer. She deftly slipped out of his arms, landing softly on her feet beside the couch. Her tone amused, she drawled, “Didn’t know it would be that easy. You need to work on your negotiation skills, Mellark. Seem to be slipping just a little bit.” She gave him a pleased grin and headed for the kitchen in search of the elusive, aromatic coffee.

Peeta’s eyes met Gale’s, his face flaming as the other man saluted him with his coffee cup. “I think you let her off a little easy there, Peeta. Should have held out for more.”

Finnick nodded, a feigned look of sympathy gracing his features. “In my professional opinion, you blew it big time, Mellark. It started off so promising with the baked goods and moonlit strolls. Now, we are left with trying to gain small scraps of affection through brute strength. I must say I’m disappointed. I expected better.”

Katniss strolled back in from the kitchen and retorted, “On his worst day, Finnick, he still does better than a fish net and a trident. Not to mention the stalking incident that I swore I would never bring up again. You forced me to, however, and I have plenty more where that came from. Don’t tempt me.”

Finnick opened his mouth, intending to let loose a barrage from which she would never recover. He was halted by a small hand covering his. Following the length of arm up to a pair of sea green eyes, he swallowed noisily and halted whatever he was going to say. Annie smirked at his reaction and schooled her expression into one of faint disapproval. “Finnick, really. Leave the poor man alone.” The others looked on in amazement as Finnick seemed to freeze, looking mesmerized by her face. He leaned back in his chair and sipping at his coffee, completely ignored the incredulous stares.

Katniss and Johanna exchanged smiles before she plopped down on the sofa, her leg brushing Peeta’s. She handed him a cup of coffee and settled back against the cushions. Taking a bite out of the packaged breakfast pastry she was holding, her face screwed into a moue of disgust. Peeta caught her eye and smiled faintly. “It’s not as good as yours,” she whispered. “I just didn’t feel like cooking.”

He patted her knee gently. “Do you want me to make you something? It wouldn’t take more than a minute and anything is better than empty sugar and calories.” She met his blue gaze, tempted beyond words and not just from the offer of breakfast.

“If you two can stop looking longingly into each other’s eyes for a minute, some of us could definitely go for a decent meal. All this sweetness and mushiness is about to make me lose my appetite.” Gale interjected his contribution to the exchange. He exchanged a teasing glance with Johanna. “Oh, Johanna, please let me cook you breakfast. That poor excuse for pastry is not good enough to touch your fair lips!”

Johanna placed one hand on her heart and the other limply on her forehead. “Why thank you, kind sir,” she replied, her tone high pitched and breathy. “I just knew you would save me from the horror of these hideous impostors. My hero!” She swooned into his arms, vapidly batting her lashes. The whole room burst into laughter, including one who silently observed as the others playfully teased her brother and his companion.

Prim had been surprised to find them entangled on the couch, sleeping quite peacefully. She attempted to move quietly, only to jump with a clatter of dropped glasses as a knock sounded at the front door. She warily peered through the peep hole, recognized Annie, and moved to let her in. Prim was slightly amazed when Finnick, Gale, and Johanna trailed in behind Annie. She motioned for them to be quiet and pointed to the sleeping couple on the couch. The varying reaction that the sight of them afforded was a source of entertainment all on its own.

Gale took one look at them and turned to Johanna with a brilliant smile. She merely patted him on the back and went into the kitchen, muttering about coffee. Annie just shook her head and went to examine Rue. Finnick regarded them for a full minute before his gaze swung over to Prim. He seemed to be studying her for any sign of resistance to this turn of events. Seeming satisfied, he pulled a length of string from his pocket and busied himself by tying an assortment of knots. Prim watched in awe as he twisted and manipulated the string seemingly without thought. Finnick’s gaze intercepted her intent examination of his pastime. He fished out an additional length of cording, handed it to her and demonstrated various forms, his fingers moving deftly along the length of string.

She sat watching them, her fingers absentmindedly twining the string. Peeta said something too softly for Prim to catch. Katniss, looking surprised, let out a low laugh and nodded. On his way to the kitchen, his gaze intercepted hers and he nodded questioningly in the direction of the couch. Prim let her smile be her answer and was rewarded with a wide grin that she hadn’t seen in ages. He continued on into the kitchen, Johanna following behind saying something about helping, and soon a tempting smell wafted through the apartment.

After breakfast and much teasing as to who wore that pants in their relationship, Peeta and Katniss brought the others up to speed on the situation with Rue. Prim sat silently throughout most of it, answering only when asked a direct question. Annie filled them in on the medical side of things, reiterating again that Rue really should have gone to the hospital. Hearing this, Prim reacted, “She can’t. We don’t know how many people know who she is or where they are. She could get hurt again or worse.” Unwillingly, their heads nodded in agreement.

Peeta cleared his throat, “I think that we have a plan that could work. I spoke with my firm’s attorney last night. The original idea was to portray Rue as a runaway and that Prim wasn’t integrating in the group. Delly basically told me that the runaway thing wouldn’t hold up because too many people would be looking for her. Delly has worked out some plans and she and I will go before the judge this morning to get everything signed off on. Another attorney at Delly’s firm, Octavia Prius, acting as Rue’s guardian ad litem, read over everything and has put in her recommendations. I’m hopeful that we can get this taken care of in such a way that the girls can be granted some form of protection. When I called Darius for the name of someone who could help with the gang part of the equation, he sent me to Detective Flavius Boggs from Special Forces. That team bridges between vice crime and crimes against persons. Katniss has given me all the information that you collected on Enobaria Agnaste, Diana Glimmer, and Clove Jewelton. He read over everything and was interested enough to open up an investigation. He also sent a recommendation to the judge in support of our position that these girls be pulled out of the main rotations for their own safety. I was going to remove Prim anyway after seeing this, no offense. I know the kind of work that your group does, but this is not an ordinary situation.”

Annie was the first to chime in with a question. “What does that mean for us? If this is approved, how exactly is it going to work? Are these girls going to be under lock and key all day, being guarded by armed personnel? I personally don’t think that either will psychologically benefit from that sort of environment.”

Peeta nodded as if he had been expecting this question. “In regards to Prim, the primary responsibility will rest with her guardians and her counselor to make sure that she doesn’t break any part of the agreement. You will be responsible for her whereabouts during the therapy sessions. This includes any courses that she was participating in. Most of the time, she will be in the company of myself, my friend Sadie, and/or Katniss.” Surprised gazes swung to Katniss and she gestured for him to continue. “Prim will support me in that she and Katniss have become close. Katniss has agreed to act as both probation officer and counselor to Prim. She will have to send in weekly progress to the Judge.”

Gale asked, “What about Rue? Is she getting a similar arrangement? “

Peeta glanced at the sheaf of notes before him, seemingly pondering the question. In actuality, he really didn’t know how to explain the small, maimed girl’s situation. “The responsibility issues are the same for her as for Prim,” he said slowly. “Honestly, we have kept the part about Rue’s injuries to ourselves. She will go into protective custody. We have decided to modify the usual definition to suit our needs. Her siblings are currently placed with a good foster home. Rue was supposed to go to them when she finished up, but she’ll be placed in a safe house instead. The location is known only to those members of Boggs’ team and you. If you don’t feel like you can participate in this, say no now.” Seeing no takers to his offer, Peeta blew out a breath and said, “Okay then. I’ll let everyone know the status as soon as I get back.”

The others sat around the kitchen table discussing the situation in hushed voices. Peeta gave Prim a quick hug and promised to return soon. He grabbed his jacket and with a tilt of his head, gestured for Katniss to accompany him to the elevator. They walked hand-in-hand down the hallway once out of sight of prying eyes. He grinned at her teasingly, “That was not a nice thing you did this morning. I never took you for a tease, Ms. Everdeen.”

She snorted and tossed her head in annoyance. “I didn’t tease, Mr. Mellark,” she bit out. “I merely took advantage of the situation and manipulated it to my chosen outcome. It’s a basic sales technique. You should know that.”

“Yeah, right,” he retorted. “You just didn’t want your friends to know that you secretly wanted to kiss me. I think if you would just admit the truth, you would know that you want to kiss me right now.”

“I do not want…” she got out right before his lips descended onto hers. It felt as though she had been dipped into flames. They leapt from the spot where his hand clasped the back of her neck, travelled through her bloodstream until the world fogged up and broke away. It contained nothing but the two of them and the fire that had ignited between them. Her arms tightened, attempting to pull him closer. At the last second before sanity fled completely, Johanna opened the door, peeked out, and gave a loud whoop. The spell now broken, they pulled apart. Hands fell to sides. Breath slowed to a series of gasping pants and eyes locked while each evaluated the other’s reaction.

“You do,” he whispered into the silence. “And so do I. So it doesn’t matter.”

“It does matter, Peeta,” she retorted. “You are the brother of one of my patients. Until this thing with Prim is done, we need to be on our best behavior. I’m skirting the line as it is. Haymitch is up in arms. I don’t need any more trouble.”

He eyed her briefly and said, “Katniss, if you can’t or won’t be Prim’s counselor, just let me know now. We still have time to make adjustments,” he swallowed noisily. “I wish you wouldn’t leave, but I will respect your opinion.”

“I don’t want out. I want to make sure that Prim is okay. I promised her.” She caught his gaze again, her hand curling into his tousled hair. “I want to keep seeing you, too. I’m just saying that we need to be careful and not start something that neither of us is prepared to finish.” Her lips touched his again briefly, sweet and warm and giving. “After this is over, we’ll make it official. Whatever it is.”

He smiled down at her and playfully tugged at the end of her braid. “Nice to know you have it all figured out.” He stepped into the closing elevator and tossed her a mocking salute. Katniss was left staring at a pair of shiny doors, her hand lightly touching her lips and her mind running in circles. 

Judge Paylor’s chambers were reflective of the occupant. There were no frills, nor frivolous decorations. The furnishings were sturdy without being completely generic. The judge herself with brown hair cut short, clad in a simple ivory pants suit and low heels, seemed to be a no-nonsense type who preferred that things be done correctly as opposed to rapidly. She had signed off on Prim’s documents after thoroughly perusing the statements from Katniss and Boggs. Peeta was optimistic that things would go as smoothly in Rue’s case. He watched, stomach twisting, as Delly handed the Judge the pertinent information.

Judge Paylor read through the documents, her eyebrows rising higher with each new entry. She looked up, nailing both Peeta and Delly with an auguring stare. “The girl was threatened by other juveniles during the course of the program. Did any of the staff witness this behavior?”

Peeta spoke up, “My sister, Primrose, witnessed some of it. She and Rue were roommates. She was present when the three came into their dorm room and threatened Rue. She didn’t say anything to the staff at that time because Rue was afraid of possible repercussions.”

Delly chimed in, giving Peeta a quelling look. “We are aware that what we are asking for is unusual, Your Honor. We have a time stamped and certified audio recording of Rue testifying that her aunt allegedly traded Rue’s younger sister for an unknown quantity of narcotics. Rue volunteered to take her sister’s place. The three program participants were in a position to know that Rue had been brought to the Gamesmakers’ attention. They knew her before the program. We think it is safe to assume that there are others who will also know her background. That is why we are requesting these extraordinary measures.”

Judge Paylor inquired, “Am I to assume that there is a safe house set up so that the girl can be protected? She will be hung out in the wind otherwise. Anyone associated with these characters will be more than willing to take a swipe at her. I also assume that protection beyond a simple unknown address will be put into place. This girl has rights. We want to make sure that those are safeguarded during each step.”

“Your Honor, the vacant apartment across from Ms. Everdeen’s place of residence has been retained. Detective Boggs and Haymitch Abernathy have both been informed of every aspect that is currently known to be true. There will be a signed log for persons going into the residence. There will be an approved checklist available at all times so that it can be cross-checked. The Better Way staff will continue to offer her the same options that Primrose Mellark has. My firm has appointed Octavia Prius as Rue’s guardian ad-litem to make sure her legal rights are watched over. Ms. Prius is one of our best. She will assiduously protect Ms. Matisse’s interest.”

Judge Paylor examined the documents once again and then hastily signed her name. Peeta turned to smile at Delly, relief surging through him. The odds, at last, seemed to be turning in Rue’s favor. 

Peeta made a quick stop by his office to pick up a couple of files. He entered his office and stopped in surprise as he caught a glimpse of blond hair and wide shoulders bent studiously over his desk.

“Hey, Daniel,” he asked. “What are you doing in here? Where’s Sae?”

Daniel Cato slowly turned, offering Peeta a wide smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Hey, Peet, how’s it going?” he asked flippantly. “I guess Sae’s gone to lunch. She wasn’t here when I got here. I was just looking for the revisions on the Heavensbee account.”

Peeta didn’t feel entirely convinced but he let it slide. “I took the revisions down to printing. I changed the graphics a little bit and lost some of the content. It made it look cluttered. They will do a standard single run and give it to you for customer approval. Sorry, I thought you knew. I updated the status report on the desktop day before yesterday.”

Cato grinned and said, “Well, great. That is one less thing that needs to be finished. I guess I’ll head down to lunch myself. I should be able to catch the tail end of the rush.” Saying this, he glanced at his watch and headed for the door.

Peeta nodded in acknowledgement and waved vaguely in his direction. He glanced up at the wall clock, trying to figure out if he had enough time to go home and change. The clock hands were stuck at four-thirty. Blowing out an irritated breath, Peeta asked, “Do you have the time? My clock seems to have died.”

Cato flipped his watch facing around and Peeta caught a brief glimpse as a stylized bird flickered to light before fading. It was clad in eighteen carat gold, the backlight highlighting the intricate work. “It’s one-thirty now. I’m sure you have plenty of time.”

Peeta eyed the watch and stated, “Nice watch. Was it a present?”

Cato grinned, “It was a present from my mentor as a gift for finally learning patience.” He moved toward the door once more and then asked, “Where’s your lovely sister these days? I hardly see her around anymore.”

Peeta didn’t look up as he opened the stack of mail left for him. Most of it went into the dumpster. He commented absently, “She’s been pretty busy. She will be by pretty soon, I’m sure.”

“That’s excellent,” Cato responded. “I’ll be looking forward to seeing her then.” He sauntered out the door, whistling. The flaming bird made another appearance followed by an explosion of laughter. Sometimes, it was just too easy.

End Part 12.

 


	13. States of Mind

 

## Chapter 13: States of Mind

Notes: This chapter is going to be slightly different. It will be brief conversations between our pairs directly after the events in Part 12.

PAIR 1: GALE AND JOHANNA

The ride back home was quiet. There were so many conflicting emotions and thoughts in their minds that neither knew where to begin. Johanna sat looking out the window, idly watching the lights flicker as they passed. She felt his hand slide into hers, fingers twining together until she couldn’t tell what was hers and what was his. Maybe that was the lesson.

“What are you thinking about?” Gale asked softly. “It’s not like you to be quiet for so long.”

“I don’t even know. Everything’s just jumbled together. That poor little girl,” her voice broke. “How did we miss it? How did we miss it?”

“Johanna, I don’t think,” he trailed off, a sudden sheen of tears glazing his eyes. He blinked rapidly and tried to continue. “We can’t think that way. It’s tragic and senseless, but she’s alive and safe now. They will get the bastard responsible. We’ve been able to give them some good leads.”

“I never thought the time would come when I would hate my job,” she broke the ensuing silence. “We see these kids and they are so broken. We put band aids on what we can. We write up our reports. Then we cut them loose and move on to the next batch. When did it become okay to assembly line these kids? We’re like the fucking ER of the rehabilitation system. We treat them and street them. I just wish…”

Gale shook his head, “Jo, you can’t think like that. We do make a difference. We don’t reinvent the wheel, but we do what we can. There’s more good than bad to this job. You just can’t see it right now.” She shook her head disparagingly and he bit out, “What do you want, Johanna? What would make you happy?”

She wheeled on him, brown eyes imploring him to understand. “I just want to know at the end of the day that I helped one, just one. That something I did actually mattered. I could stand all the bad stuff if I know somehow, in some way, that I made a difference. Is that really too much to ask for, Gale? “

He raised their joined hands to his lips and softly kissed her fingers, “You help me every day. You make me so happy, Jo. More than I’ve ever been before. Don’t you know that? You helped Katniss. She told me what you said the other night at her apartment. You got through to her. Don’t ever think that you don’t make a difference, because you do without even trying.”

Johanna sent him a smile, her heart a little lighter. Who needed a star to grant wishes? She didn’t. Not anymore.

PAIR 2: ANNIE AND FINNICK

Annie sat at her desk, writing a summary of all that had happened while it was fresh in her mind. She omitted any part of the girl’s injuries from the official reports. Those notes were kept in a separate book and shared only with Detective Boggs and the other Better Way counselors involved. She heard a throat clear and looked up to meet the sea green eyes of Finnick Odair. “Did you need something, Finnick?”

He shifted nervously, hesitant to voice to his reasons for seeking her out. “I was just wondering how they were doing; the two girls, I mean,” he answered quietly. “I know that they called you to examine them both. I just wanted to check before heading home.”

Annie laid down her pen and sighed quietly. She really didn’t feel like discussing this case; it was too raw and too new to delve deeply into her sense of horror and inadequacy. The girls had been mistreated both emotionally and physically, yet the staff had been completely unaware. She couldn’t help but ask herself how many other times something similar had happened and they hadn’t seen it. It was easy to add up columns in a row and convince yourself that you were doing some good. It’s another thing to look at the proof lying in front of you in a puddle of blood and face the fact that everything you believe is not necessarily the reality that you live in.

“Primrose is fine, physically. I think she is getting a lot of support from Peeta and Katniss. Those two seem unusually close. She’s worried and stressed. I think she’ll be okay. We will just have to watch her closely. Ruth Ann, or Rue, is stable. I would still prefer to move her to a secure ward at the hospital, but I’ve been overruled. There is too great a possibility that she will be found and hurt again. She is the only link to the Gamesmakers. They hope she can give them enough to crack the gang wide open. I’ve put a limit on how much she can be questioned and her lawyer has requested to be present at all interrogations. She can’t take much stress. It will be a difficult recovery for her.”

Finnick stayed quiet throughout her dissertation. He sat down in one of the chairs fronting her desk and remained silent for a longer period than usual. Annie watched him carefully and noted the sighs of unease in his posture and the way he compulsively knotted and loosened a thin cord he had removed from his pocket. Catching her gaze, he grinned and commented, “One of my foster parents taught me this. I think I was about eight. He used to take me fishing on the weekends. We would spend all day on the lake, just floating and passing the time.” He smiled at the memory, eyes pensive and sad. “I was only there for about 3 months. Then they sent me to another family. I was never told why, just that I had to move. I remembered the knots, though. I’ve kept it up ever since.”

Annie patted his hand sympathetically and he cracked a small smile. “Sorry, didn’t mean to go all heavy on you.” He flushed. “I’m just having a really hard time with this. It reminds me of stuff I’d rather not have to think about.”

She was reminded of the few snippets she had heard over the years regarding his background. She knew he was a foster kid and had been since age three. She knew that at 15, Haymitch had become his case worker and helped him get back on track. There were rumors about the activities of his former case worker but nothing was ever confirmed. She had always refused to listen to the rumors concerning him. Contrary to her outburst the other day, Annie had always been slightly fascinated with Finnick. He seemed to be two totally different people depending on what he was doing at the time. He could be funny, charming, and entertaining but also snappish, crude, and sarcastic to a fault. Which one was the true Finnick Odair? Despite herself, Annie Cresta was very interested in the answer to that question.

“It’s no problem, Finnick. I like talking to you like this. It’s almost tolerable.” She grinned slightly to take the sting out of that remark. “Do you want to talk about it? I’d be happy to listen if you would.”

Finnick looked up in surprise. He didn’t expect a sympathetic response, more like an indifferent shrug and inane comment. She really wasn’t what he thought she was. First the lovely temper tantrum from the other night, and now this kind, caring persona today. Who was the real Annie Cresta? He was very interested in finding that out.

“Maybe another time, okay?” he asked, a tiny seed of hope noticeable in his voice. She smiled and nodded. He rose and headed toward the exit, looking back over his shoulder as he walked. She was looking at him with the most perplexed expression that he had ever seen. Finnick felt his heart lighten a little at the prospect of talking to her again. Gale had been right – the office furniture and calendar had made a big first impression. Finnick would never admit to that, though. Gale was hard enough to deal with, even with an extra added incentive.

PAIR 3: PRIM AND RUE

Rue woke up in an unfamiliar room and looked at a familiar face. Her tense shoulders immediately relaxed when she saw Prim smiling at her from the nearby chair. She let her eyes dart around, realizing that they were no longer in the dorms. She raised a questioning eyebrow at Prim and flicked her hand to indicate the whole room.

“You want to know where you are,” Prim guessed. “We’re at Katniss’ apartment and you are in her spare bedroom. Annie says that you will be okay, but it will take a while. I’m just glad that you’re finally awake. I was scared.”

Rue‘s eye flew up to Prim’s face, her apprehension clearly etched on her face. Prim, correctly guessing the reason for her sudden panic, quickly reassured her, “You’re safe now. Peeta and Ms. Cartwright fixed it with the judge. You don’t have to go back to the dorms. They have set up a safe house for you and around the clock protection. They can’t hurt you again, Rue.”

A watery smile greeted this announcement and Rue reached out to grasp Prim’s hand. Prim squeezed it back, thrilled that she was able to give her friend such good news. A new thought struck her. She extricated her hand and quickly made her way to a small bag lying beside the bed. “Here. I almost forgot to give this to you. Finnick brought it over.” She reached into the confines of the bag and pulled out a battered teddy bear. It certainly looked the worse for wear, but Rue grasped it like a lifeline. She hugged the tattered fur to her and let tears leak from the corners of her closed eyes. “Rue, are you okay? “ Prim asked anxiously.

Rue cleared her throat. It was always difficult to speak after being asleep for so long. It left one tongue-tied and blurry. She swallowed a couple of times and took a couple sips of water from a plastic jug by the bed. “Thank you, Prim. For everything,” she muttered out.

Prim’s answering smile was nova bright in its intensity. “Of course. We’re friends after all.”

She left moments later with the admonishment for Rue to get some rest. Rue snuggled back into the blankets, her bear tucked securely in her arms. Her last thought before slipping back down was how nice it was to have a friend. Prim was the first real friend she had ever had. It felt good. It felt safe. It felt like home.

PAIR 4: KATNISS AND PEETA

She made sure that both girls were sleeping soundly before adjourning to the living room. Peeta sat propped up on her couch with a multitude of papers spread out about him. When he heard her come back in, he cleared the piles away and motioned for her to join him. “They all settled for the night?” he asked as he swept the papers in no particular order back into his bag.

“Yep, they are sleeping like angels,” she retorted jokingly. “They should be down for the rest of the night.” She laughed suddenly. “It sounds like we’re talking about toddlers, not fifteen year olds.”

Stretching his arms up over his head and twisting to work the soreness out of his back muscles, Peeta replied, “Same thing when you get right down to it. The only difference is potty training and toddlers have better manners.”

Katniss chuckled and claimed the cushion next to him, curling her legs up underneath her. He stretched out full length on the couch, his head resting squarely in her lap. She made no effort to move him, so Peeta toed off his shoes and got comfortable.

Katniss amused herself by playing with his hair, fingers twisted in the ashy blond strands. He closed his eyes, enjoying the gentle touches as she brushed his hair back off of his forehead. He was just about to drop off when he heard her softly comment, “You did great today with Judge Paylor. I don’t know how you convinced her to sign off on this little scheme of yours. She’s not known for bending the rules or creative solutions to a problem. I don’t know how you managed it, but I’m glad.”

“I can be very persuasive when I set my mind to it,” he retorted lazily, eyes still closed. “You know that.”

She grinned at his cocky remark but stayed silent, continuing to play with his errant curls. She enjoyed just looking at him. His relaxed face was a study of angles. He had prominent cheekbones and a pronounced jawline. His eyebrows and lashes were pale gold, almost invisible unless you stared at them. Right now, she was staring and making no attempt to hide it. Of their own volition, her fingers traced over his face, her eyes following as if to memorize every feature. He lay quietly, breathing regular, allowing her to explore at her leisure.

“As much as I’m enjoying this,” he stated, somewhat amusedly, “I really need to sleep. Are you joining me?”

She laughed silently. “Tempting. But I don’t want to wake up with another audience tomorrow morning. I prefer to keep the shades drawn, if you know what I mean.”

“I threatened Prim if she opened the door while we are asleep again that she’ll lose all archery privileges.” He smirked at her disbelieving expression. “Since Rue isn’t exactly up and running around and Prim knows that I keep my promises, I think we’re pretty safe.” She bit her lip, clearly considering and then nodded shyly. “Come here then,” he told her as he lifted his head and scooted closer to the back of the couch. He opened his arms and she slid into them gratefully. His warmth soothed her and made her feel safe. She turned on her side, putting her back against his chest. They shifted until perfectly aligned from shoulder to toe. She cuddled back against him with a contented sigh.

He curled an arm around her waist and asked quietly, “You like sleeping here with me. Real or not real?”

“Real,” she answered sleepily. “You know what I like better, though.”

He hesitated briefly and then asked, “What?”

He could feel her grin and almost laughed when she said, “Breakfast. Think you can do some cheese rolls tomorrow? “

Feeling content for the first time in ages, Peeta curled a little closer to this strange, perplexing girl that he suspected he was beginning to fall for. “Of course. Good night, Katniss. “

“Good night, Peeta,” she sleepily replied, letting her hand intertwine with his, fingers carelessly linked. Feeling safe for the first time in two days, she closed her eyes and slipped into sleep, her head resting firmly on his heart.

End Part 13

 


	14. live for the little moments

 

## Chapter 14: Live For the Little Moments

Summary: **If you had a chance at what you never had but always wanted, would you take it?

He watched her through the small window set in the door. He could only see the side of her head, partially hidden by tangled dark locks, and her hands. She spoke with her hands, her gestures elaborating whatever point she was trying to make. Some motions were intricate and restrained, others wide and sweeping. Her eyes changed according to her mood: sparkling jade when happy or amused, olive when deep in thought, and storm-tossed seas when angry or frustrated. She tapped her foot when thinking about something. She bit her lip when nervous. She twirled her pen like a baton when impatient. Finnick Odair observed each and every one of these traits. He knew how she took her coffee, that she hated the color red, and that she preferred wildflowers over roses. But none of that knowledge got him one step closer to his goal – he wanted to know the real Annie Cresta.

They exchanged pleasantries often. He would pick her up a cup of coffee while getting his own. She would comment on an interesting news item and ask if he’d seen it. They were unfailingly polite and congenial. And Finnick was close to bursting. He didn’t know how it had gotten to this point. It was like she had crept up on him when he wasn’t looking. In their undeclared war, she was winning without having fired a shot.

He looked up and saw her staring quizzically at him through the window. He ducked back reflexively and cursed under his breath. What was he, ten? Mentally berating himself, he knocked sharply and entered. Annie caught his eye and smiled, gesturing to the row of chairs situated by the wall. She turned her attention back to the single session that she was currently conducting. “Okay, Beetee, I think we have made some real progress today. Please continue to work on those exercises that we covered and jot down any thoughts you might have. By the way, you were correct about that new application slowing down my tablet. I uninstalled it and found the one you suggested. It works great. Thank you so much.” The boy’s pale cheeks flushed and his eyes widened behind the thick lenses. He choked out a response and scuttled from the room. Watching him leave, Finnick stared again when he realized that Annie was studying him curiously.

“So, Finnick, what can I do for you?” she asked pleasantly. “Is this business related or strictly a pleasure call?”

“Uh, both I guess you could say,” he stuttered and absently reached for his string, fingers itching to start knotting the cord. “I just thought I’d take you up on that offer to talk. That is, if you’re not doing anything. If you’re busy, I can come back later.”

A small hand gently plucked the string from his numb fingers. Finnick’s gaze swiftly flicked up to meet hers. Jade, he noted distractedly. “I’m not busy,” she said. “Beetee was my last appointment for today.” She gathered her things and turned to him expectantly. “I was going to pick up some coffee. You’re welcome to join me if you like.”

Finnick took a deep breath and blurted out, “Peeta told me about a restaurant his friend owns called the Mockingbird Diner. Gale said the food was pretty good and the desserts are great. Peeta apparently takes a few shifts. How about going there? It would be my treat, of course.”

Annie smiled slightly and seemed to weigh her opinions. Olive, he thought before quietly cursing himself. “That sounds good. Peeta takes a few shifts, does he? Think we might be able to score some of those famous pastries? Johanna raves about them.”

“You know, he is a good friend of mine. With the right incentive, I could be persuaded to acquire some baked goods,” Finnick teased as he held his arm out to her mock-formally.

She rolled her eyes but slipped her hand through his arm. “Thanks anyway, but I don’t think I could afford your prices.”

Placing a hand on his heart, Finnick whined, “That hurts right here. I’ll have you know, Ms. Cresta, that I can be quite reasonable when it’s for a good cause.”

“I’m sure you can, Mr. Odair.” She returned. “I’m quite sure that you can.”

Finnick caught his breath, adding yet another color to his mental list. Viridian for teasing. She was teasing him. This small talk thing had more going for it than he originally thought. He made a note to try this more often. 

Prim sat cross legged on the bed, eyeing her friend in annoyance. “Annie said that you could get up and move around today. She said it would be good for you to get back on your feet. So that’s what we’re going to do.” She grabbed the edge of the blanket and flipped it back. Rue caught the back corner and for a moment it degenerated into a full on tug of war for control of the bedding. Prim finally gave up and tossed the blankets over her head, enclosing her tent-like in the confines of the quilts. Rue tunneled her way out, giggling fiercely and promptly felt her breath whoosh out when a pillow solidly connected with her back. She wheeled around and caught Prim laughing maniacally, pillow raised to take another swing.

“Can’t do that. Might break my stitches,” Rue said, pushing the blankets down over her legs and slowly climbing to her feet.

Prim’s face flushed bright pink and she dropped the pillow almost guiltily. “Sorry. I didn’t think of that. Are you okay?”

“I won’t break if that’s what you’re thinking,” Rue grinned. “I just don’t want to have to get stitched up again. I’m pretty enough as it is. Don’t need any more scars.”

Prim bit her lip at her friend’s resigned tone. She studied her intently and felt a giddy rush of excitement as an idea hit her full force. “Rue, you’re brilliant! That’s the perfect reason to get you out of this room. Come on.” She grabbed her hand and tugged her down the hallway. “You need a makeover. That always makes me feel better.”

Rue’s eyes narrowed doubtfully. “Don’t know about that, Prim. I’ve never had much use for girly stuff.”

Prim snorted delicately, “That’s only because you haven’t had a lot of chances to do girly stuff. It will be fun, I promise.” She dragged the reluctant girl to the couch, rounded up her small array of supplies, and set to work.

Peeta entered to the sounds of shouts and laughter. Curious to what all the commotion was about, he followed the noise into the living room. He looked incredulously at the elaborately teased hairdos and painted faces. “Well, well,” he commented into the racket. “Have we got big plans tonight, ladies, or are we entertaining here?”

“Peeta, don’t be silly,” Prim ordered. “He does this to me all the time,” she explained seriously. “Just ignore him.” The two flounced back down the hallway, Rue giving him an apologetic glance over her shoulder. Peeta just smiled and shook his head. It was good to see them play.

Prim handed over a fistful of wipes and while hastily scrubbing her face mumbled, “So what do you want to do now? It’s still early.”

Rue met her gaze and twisted the wipes between her hands nervously. Prim nodded encouragingly and finally Rue asked, “Do you still have that drawing? The one you did the first day?” Prim nodded and retrieved the notebook. She flipped to the one of her and Peeta baking.

Rue smiled and shook her head. “That’s it. That’s what I want to do.”

Prim looked confused. “You want to bake? I don’t know, Rue. I’m not much of a cook.”

Rue seemed to withdraw slightly. “I don’t want to cook. Not exactly.” She hesitated. “I want a memory like that. The whole thing. I want to know what that feels like.” She swallowed, tears coming to the fore. Swiping them away with a rough hand, she continued in a stronger voice. “My aunt usually left us alone. I had to watch out for the others as best as I could. I never learned how to cook, so most nights what we ate was cold. Some nights we didn’t have anything.” She flicked a hand negligently at the drawing. “I never thought it could be that way. Fixing dinner, watching TV, and just talking because you want to. I always wondered what it would be like to have a real family.” She smiled wistfully, “I don’t suppose we could do that?”

Prim chewed her bottom lip and looked from Rue’s hopeful expression to the drawing. Her lips turned up slightly and she nodded, “Actually, I think we can. Come on, let’s go talk to Peeta.”

When Katniss stepped off the elevator, she was surprised to hear the faint sounds of laughter coming from her apartment. Curiosity got the better of her and she quickly dug her key out of her bag and let herself in. Once inside, she was greeted with absolute chaos. The counters were covered with bowls and a fine coating of flour. Two heads, one blond and the other dark, were studiously sifting flour into a large mixing bowl. Another blond head was supervising, his tone falsely grouchy as he retorted, “They are not awful. That recipe has been in my family for over fifty years. They are never awful; just not fully executed according to plan.”

The sound of her stifled laughter gave her presence away and three sets of eyes quickly rounded on her frozen form standing in the front door. “You’re finally home,” Peeta declared. “Excellent! We have a big evening planned and just waiting on you to get the ball rolling.” Wiping his hands on a dishtowel, he crossed the room to take her bag and keys, pausing only to drop a kiss on top of her head. Allowing him to lead her to the kitchen, she glanced about, amazed at the array of food on the stove, the only section of the kitchen not covered in flour.

“What’s the occasion?” she inquired, amusement bubbling up at the giddy expression on the three faces. “You have enough food to feed an army over there. And unless I miss my guess, I smell cheese buns and pastries. You weren’t kidding about a big night planned.”

Peeta slung an arm around each of his assistant’s shoulders. “I can’t take any credit for it. Prim and Rue set up the movies, helped with dinner and dessert, and have basically ordered me around for the last couple of hours getting everything set up. Why don’t you go get cleaned up and relax? Dinner will be ready shortly.” The girls giggled at his antics and wiggled free. Prim started wiping down the counter while Rue transferred a plate of bedraggled pastries to a rack to cool. Katniss grinned to herself and headed for the bedroom to dress down for dinner. She felt lighter, as if a load had slipped away that she didn’t even realize she was carrying. The clatter of dishes and the low voices made it feel like a home, rather than an intrusion into her private space. Pulling on comfortable sweats and a tattered t-shirt, she freshened up her braid and made her way back into the kitchen.

The transformation was quite remarkable considering the short amount of time the threesome had to work with. The counters had been restored to pristine condition, the dirty dishes rinsed and loaded into the dishwasher. Most importantly, the table was set for four and the meal was already laid out. Peeta, noticing her entrance, quickly pulled out her chair. He grinned at her stunned expression, while the other two giggled behind their hands. They finished the meal leisurely, chatting idly about nothing. Katniss looked mildly guilty as she snagged both a cheese bun and one of the chocolate and cream pastries Peeta was so adept at producing.

“I think you like the cheese buns better than the chocolate,” he commented easily, watching as she devoured the roll. “Funny, but I would have expected the opposite.”

She swallowed her mouthful and tore off another piece. “I like sweets just like any other girl. But these things,” she took another bite and rolled her eyes exaggeratedly. “These things should be illegal.”

Once the dishes were rinsed and put away, the foursome adjourned to the living room. The girls debated the merits of several different DVD’s before settling on some teen heartthrob comedy that Prim declared, “The absolute best movie ever made.” Katniss chuckled at Peeta’s expressive eye roll and he stage whispered, “I’ve seen this movie at least twenty times. My brain cells are getting to dangerously low levels. I lose at least a thousand every time I see the movie poster.” He looked at the girls camped out on the floor in front of them, whispering and swapping the bowl of popcorn back and forth between them. “She really seems to be enjoying herself,” he gestured. “Prim told me that she’s never had a family night. She just wanted to know what that felt like.” He shook his head, tears glinting suspiciously before he blinked them away. “I couldn’t say no to that. Not when it’s made her this happy. It’s such a simple thing. Most people would never even think of it.”

Katniss leaned into him, her lips cutting off the flow of words as she kissed him. She put every bit of feeling she could into the meeting of their lips, his startled blue eyes boring into hers before he gave in. He wrapped her up, pulling her tightly against him. They lost themselves in a haze of fire and heat, not noticing the two very interested onlookers. They broke apart to the sound of giggling, eyes locked as they fought to steady their breathing and pulse. “Katniss,” he whispered. She met his gaze, eyes questioning. He let out a ragged breath, hands finding hers and twining them together. “I have to tell you something.”

“What?” she asked hesitantly. Her brow furrowed at the nervous expression on his face. “What, Peeta? You can tell me anything.”

A brief smile touched his mouth and his fingers tightened perceptibly on hers. She waited patiently for him to continue. He glanced at Prim and Rue, who suddenly decided that the movie was much more interesting than the show going on in the living room. Resolutely, he met her gaze again. “I didn’t plan the timing, so I hope you’ll forgive me. This isn’t quite the scene that I had in mind.”

“I don’t understand. Timing for what, Peeta? What are you talking about?” Her concern made him smile, and he closed his eyes before taking that last leap.

“What I’m saying is that I don’t need three months. I already know how I want this to go.” Blue eyes collided with gray and her breath caught in her throat in anticipation of his next words. “I don’t need any more time to know what I feel.” His hand cupped her cheek, tracing the line of her jaw. “I love you, Katniss.”

"Peeta," she breathed. She felt the old fears flare up, the panic that she would lose him if she allowed herself to care. A voice rang in her head that it was too soon. They hadn't known each other long enough to make that type of commitment. It was destined to fail. Alongside that was the part of her that wanted to be with him; that knew he would never hurt her, that wanted to take that chance. It was that voice she listened to as a watery smile bloomed on her face and she quietly returned, "Peeta, I love you too." With that, he pulled her to him and they curled up, completely oblivious to the two other people in the room.

Rue and Prim shared a small smile, and then turned back to the movie and bowl of popcorn. Rue leaned in and said quietly, “Do you think it was the cheese buns?”

Prim nodded back, laughing silently. “Had to be. That’s the way we do things in this family after all.”

Daniel Cato waited patiently until he was waved forth by a negligent hand. He took the proffered chair and sat quietly. When his report was wanted, he would be told. Until then, he knew enough to bide his time. Tongues had been cut out for less. He had no intention of being the recipient of that particular form of punishment.

The old man's hair was snow white, his eyes pale as ice in his white, ghostly face. His voice, low and raspy as a snake, hissed out, "What news have you brought me? Has the runaway been dealt with?"

"We haven't been able to locate her, sir. They have been removed from the Better Way facilities. We've scoured the spots she was known to frequent, but there's been no sign of her. The aunt isn't allowed access to the other kids, so she's useless for locating our wayward Tribute." Cato hesitated. "I've put some assets on the Mellark girl, but she's lying low too. Peeta removed her after our little initiation was discovered. The judge agreed to counseling and completion of the diversion program as a solitary participant. We can't use her to locate the girl. We don't even know if they have maintained contact. I can find no records that our girl was offered a similar deal."

"Leave people on them to see where they go. We just might stumble across her if we're lucky." The ice pale eyes gleamed in the low light. A pervasive odor of roses and blood seemed to cling to his clothing, making Cato's stomach heave. "The aunt is our one sure tool to unearth our errant Tribute. Tell her that I will arrange for visitation privileges for her with the other three children. It will be mentioned that Rue can speak with her siblings at a specific time each week via telephone. Advise her that cooperation will earn her a reward and our undying gratitude. Should she refuse, take her eyes. Should she still refuse, take her tongue. One way or another, our erstwhile Tribute will be returned to the fold."

Cato grinned in anticipation. The punishments were the most gratifying part of his association with the Gamesmakers. More than any drink, drug, or companion that he could dream up, the power over life, death and all levels in between was addictive. It crawled through his veins like morphine. It was the ultimate high and Cato reveled in it. He inclined his head, "I'll take care of it personally, sir. Do you want anything done with the Everdeen girl or Mellark's sister?"

Albert Coin's ice gray eyes hardened to glass. "I will have to think on that, Daniel. If they don't interfere, we will leave them alone. If they do get in the way, there are better methods than to remove them permanently. I will put some thought into a special reception for Ms. Everdeen and Ms. Mellark. It's best to be prepared, after all."

End Part 14

 


End file.
